<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Sweet Azalea Honey by purplejooong</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29140317">Sweet Azalea Honey</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplejooong/pseuds/purplejooong'>purplejooong</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>ATEEZ (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anal Fingering, Angst with a Happy Ending, BDSM, Blow Jobs, Dark Creature of the Woods Hongjoong, Dom/sub Undertones, Drug Use, Drunk Sex, Dubious Consent, Fantasy AU, Fluff and Angst, Hallucinations, Happy Ending, Knifeplay, M/M, Masturbation, Mildly Dubious Consent, Morning Sex, My ancestors would feel ashamed of me if they knew I wrote this, Poison, Porn, Porn With Plot, Power Bottom Kim Hongjoong, Restraints, Rope Bondage, Teasing, Top Park Seonghwa, Unprotected Sex, florist hongjoong, human seonghwa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 07:49:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>41,677</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29140317</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/purplejooong/pseuds/purplejooong</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It was quick, Seonghwa blinked his eyes and two bright irises – they almost seemed the colour of the moon – smiled at him through some whitish locks, a creepy smile displaying some pointy fangs accompanied. </p><p>“Hello human.” </p><p>A mischievous voice said, the grip over Seonghwa’s back not releasing. Then, a whiff, some sparkling dust crashed over his face and he felt his vision go blunt as his mind blacked out.  </p><p>He blinked repeatedly trying to stay lucid, yet the last thing he heard before fainting was a sly cackle. </p><p>or</p><p>(Seonghwa is a sceptical fantasy novelist that rents a house near those, what seem to be, haunted woods by this dark creature that abductes people)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>182</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Woods</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Read all the tags for the TWs! That said, enjoy!<br/></p>
    </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I recommend reading this while listening to Aurora's "Nature boy" cover! As it was the one ispiring me!<br/>That said, enjoy~</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was a story told by all the people living nearly by the woods. The story of a Creature – a dark lonely creature – greedily protecting their woods and mercilessly abducting every man, woman or being that dared to step inside of them, breaking the peace of the creature’s pristine dear woods held in their depths, hid by the thick branches of the trees waving at the wind blowing in. </p><p>No man, no woman, no person was found after they ventured into the woods, the gloom eating up everyone without leftovers, not a single clue of where they went and how they disappeared. </p><p>Someone once said the trees moved and changed paths, making the adventurers lose track and sanity, bringing them to madness, to suicide; other said that the animals living in where no less than fiery beasts with unnatural features that left no escape at their opponent, not even the time for a cry before meeting their end. </p><p>However, the single detail that connected all the stories – making them chant as a single one – was the fact that a subtle, dark song could be heard occasionally if you passed by. And the only rule the villagers knew was to run as the chant was heard, predicting it the Creature coming to wrap their claws around your neck. </p><p>Thus, this was the perfect scenario for a fantasy novelist to reach out; the perfect source of inspiration for his new writings, right? And what was the perfect combination if not a fantasy novelist <em> and </em> a sceptical?  </p><p>Seonghwa scoffed – trying to keep it as polite as he could – at the old lady underlining about the creature in the woods when he rented one of the many houses by them, many of which abandoned by their owners after the strange events begun. Some of them still used the buildings as vacation houses for strangers, yet none of them would ever forget to remark not going too near the woods. To stay, basically, away from them.  </p><p>And, as previously said, Seonghwa was a sceptical man and the woods and their little tale was exactly the reason he was by then placing his two luggage on the slightly dusty floor of his new house for what would be the following six months.  It wasn’t dirty, he could tell, but the thin layer of dust on the furniture spoke volumes about how long had passed since the last visitor came by. </p><p>Sliding a finger over the table, he took it up to his face and tilted one corner of his mouth in annoyance: he’d clean the house before starting with anything else. Brushing the dust from his finger, Seonghwa turned to face the old lady stilling on the entrance, her face a strange mix of worry and comfort towards him as she let her hands fidget. </p><p>“So, Mr. Park, if you need anything do not hesitate in giving a call. My number is on the fridge...” she gestured to the kitchen, her shaky hands accompanied her hearty old voice “...and once again, I’m sorry to bother with this but-” </p><p>Seonghwa interrupted her, his hand laying on her shoulder in solace. His voice, calming. </p><p>“Don’t go past the woods. Yes ma’am, I know.” </p><p><em> But I </em> <em> won’t </em> <em> listen to you. </em>He said to himself, hand still on the woman that managed to give a sincere smile to him before nodding, patting his arm and leave without adding a word. </p><p>The house was not that big: everything was ground level; the living room was cosy and the kitchen was kind of small, the bedroom and the bathroom were at the end of a short hallway with a nice black carpet covering the parquet floor. He kind of liked it, everything had a brownish warm tone and the view from the sliding door-windows of the living room was priceless: the woods expanded on a straight line and almost felt endless, a ten minutes' walk separated them from the house and green grass covered the whole path. He almost felt catapulted in one of his stories, feeling like a mage living by the woods where he travelled for the ingredients of his potions and rituals. </p><p>Rituals. Seonghwa studied a lot about magic and rituals for his books, he wanted his novels to be as realistic as they could nonetheless being fantasy: he searched realism where it wasn’t and that was probably one of the reasons – along with his curiosity – that brought him there. </p><p>He plopped on the couch with a sigh, his head resting on the backrest as he let one of his hands take off his glasses, the other one came to pinch his bridge right in between of the eyes. The six and half hours of travel started to feel heavy on his body, adding them to the last two hours spent cleaning off the house from the dust and emptying the luggage, he really needed to sleep and maybe eat something.  </p><p>The realization hit him quickly when he thought about food: he didn’t go grocery shopping before reaching for the house, so he stood up from the couch, grabbed his jacket and the keys of his car and swiftly parted from the building while wearing the garment. As he walked the short path to his car, he let his eyes glance to the entrance of the woods and he got lost for a moment in the placid tempting wave the branches did as the night breeze started to blow. </p><p> </p><p>─────────────── </p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa was pleasantly surprised at how the people at the village were kind and caregiving towards a stranger. He received a little “first time” discount when he bought some vegetables at the farmer’s market and the bakery woman even gave him an extra pastry after he bought some bread. And, of course, them too remarked Seonghwa to not go near the woods.  </p><p>He tried to keep himself busy with the cooking, slicing down the carrots as the water boiled in the pot near him, but the tale of the woods already captivated his mind and he couldn’t stop thinking about it. </p><p>So, he just ended up with almost slicing his finger when he found himself lost in the thought of the wind blowing in the leaves, suggesting him just to go in. He probably was influenced by his own mind, by his will to know, but the woods really were charming to him and he was there only from some hours. </p><p>He sat at the table, the old TV didn’t turn on so he decided to text one of his friends as he let the first spoon of his meal travel to his mouth. </p><p> </p><p><b> Seonghwa: </b> </p><p><em>Yoh</em> <em>yoh</em><em> Sannie</em> </p><p><b> San: </b> </p><p><em> BRO </em> </p><p><em> SEONGHWA </em> </p><p><em> YOH </em> </p><p><em> have u arrived? </em> <em> how's </em> <em> the house? r u eating? </em> </p><p> </p><p>He chuckled. San was always such an enthusiastic one even when the thing wasn’t about him, Seonghwa liked him for this behaviour. He let some other spoons reach his mouth: he really did a good job with his meal that night, it was delicious. Or it probably was just the tiredness building up. </p><p> </p><p><b> Seonghwa: </b> </p><p><em> Dude </em> <em> slow down with the questions </em> <em> lololol </em> </p><p><em> Yes I arrived some hours ago, everything is fine </em> </p><p><em> The owner of this house is such a sweet one </em> <em> bruh </em> <em> , she almost reminds me of my granny </em> </p><p><b> San: </b> </p><p><em> Oh k cool, so a safe travel? </em> </p><p><b> Seonghwa: </b> </p><p><em> Yeah </em> <em> a safe one * </em> <em> winkwink </em> <em> * </em> </p><p><b> San: </b> </p><p><em> K </em> <em> niiiice </em> </p><p><em> OH </em> </p><p><em> BUT HOW ABOUT </em> </p><p><em> A PIC???? OF THE SURROUNDINGS???  </em> </p><p><b> Seonghwa: </b> </p><p><em>Dude</em> <em>it’s</em><em> night time, what do you want to see-</em> </p><p><b> San: </b> </p><p><em> IDK USE THE FLASH I WANNA SEE HOW THE VIEW IS </em> </p><p><em> TOMORROW YOU’LL SEND ME A BETTER PIC </em> </p><p> </p><p>By the time the conversation went over, Seonghwa had his plate empty and was eyeing the outside by the sliding door-windows of the living room, the landscape pitch black and few things that could be seen due the dim light of the moon. However, he really didn’t want to go outside and take some pics at that time, but his phone kept buzzing like crazy in his hands as San started spamming “please” non-stop followed by crying emojis and cringey stickers. Seonghwa gave a quick answer to him and got up sighing, grabbing his jacket to go out and snap some pics with the flash on for his enthusiastic friend. </p><p>Stepping out, a cold breeze caressed his cheeks and a little white puff formed as he exhaled: it was colder than he expected it to be. He turned the flash on and started to snap the first pics: one at the house, one at the street that led to it, one to the general landscape and, of course, one to the woods. </p><p>When he turned towards them, he started stepping to enclose a little bit, snap his beloved pic and quickly go back inside as he was starting to feel cold. Although, he let his phone slowly come down, freeing his view that casted on the dainty movement of the branches, still inviting him to come closer. </p><p>And he knew he shouldn't go to the woods, he knew he should stay away as the people yearned, he knew especially that taking a walk at night by some woods is not the safest thing ever and, yet, his feet moved alone when he found himself only some steps away from the entrance. </p><p>He stopped, his breath shortened a bit by the quick walking, creating small clouds that tarnished his glasses. But he was at the entrance of the woods and the darkness in them was pretty charming and appealing. The leaves above him seemed to be excited at having him as a guest, nearly shaking more when he glanced up and then down again, his chest rising and fall.  </p><p>It seemed magical – the blackness of every element painting it as a land full of mystery – and it sounded magical – the howls and the crows cawing in it, the branches brushing on each other – but the unsettling yet tempting thing was the distant low hum Seonghwa heard when he enclosed a little more, his steps creaking on the unsteady path under them. </p><p>He stepped forward, crossing the first inches of the woods and his body was slowly surrounded by the cold atmosphere. Seonghwa stopped only after meters, his ears aiming for the direction where the hum came  from, which he found right in front of him, inviting him to go further in and to abandon the moonlight behind his back. Feeling in a trance, his body eager for knowledge of what the source of the hum was – be it a person? Someone that was lost in the woods? Maybe the tales were, after all, just tales – moved forward to it, creaking some branches under his steps that echoed a little, the sound leaving to the sky playing hide and seek behind the leaves over his head.  </p><p>The humming became bit by bit clearer, Seonghwa felt like recognising some incoherent words as he enclosed with the source of them, shivers trailing all over his body. Thinking that he went out just for some random pics and he was, by then, venturing into those unfortunate woods – at night, alone, with only his phone and nothing more – made him laugh at himself. He wouldn’t be surprised if someone would find him dead at the entrance of that place the next morning.  San would have his life tormented by his ghost if that ever happened. </p><p>Suddenly, the hum stopped and only at that time Seonghwa realised he was surrounded by what was the deepest silence he witnessed in the last years: even the crows stopped, the only thing he could hear were his steps on the ground. He gulped, his body full of tension when he did another tiny step forward, feeling the cranky leaves on the ground make a sound that, somehow, felt less noisy as it should have been in that unsettling silence. </p><p>As he was placing the next step, Seonghwa sensed something drop quickly from the trees over him; and he would have almost stumbled if a firm grip didn’t come to his back, his body enclosing with what was standing in front of him. </p><p>It was quick, Seonghwa blinked his eyes and two bright irises – they almost seemed the colour of the moon – smiled at him through some whitish locks, a creepy smile displaying some pointy fangs accompanied. </p><p>“Hello human.” </p><p>A mischievous voice said, the grip over Seonghwa’s back not releasing. Then, a whiff, some sparkling dust crashed over his face and he felt his vision go blunt as his mind blacked out.  </p><p>He blinked repeatedly trying to stay lucid, yet the last thing he heard before fainting was a sly cackle. </p><p> </p><p>─────────────── </p><p> </p><p>How much time had passed since Seonghwa collapsed in the arms of some unknown something? He couldn’t made up and his throbbing mind made it even harder to do so, since he woke up with his limbs tied – with what seemed to be vines – to a flat big stone, big enough to accommodate his whole body, and a pulsing headache.  </p><p>Seonghwa couldn’t remember anything on how did he end up like that, the only thing flashing in his mind was the picture of two bright eyes and a laugh. <em>Oh</em>, actually there was <em>something</em> he could recall, and there were two simple words: <em>hello human.</em> </p><p>Which person would refer to another like that? However, if that <em> thing </em> that abducted him could speak, it would absolutely be a person, right? A human being. So how could that <em> thing </em>refer to Seonghwa as if it wasn’t one? Perhaps...no, it couldn’t be. </p><p>There was no creature of the woods, no supernatural being, nothing that could validate those town tales to Seonghwa’s sceptical eyes. Because, yes, despite being tied to a stony bed and fainting after some magical dust was blown on his face, he was still a sceptical and his brain processed everything of that as a joke of really bad taste architected by some bored one. </p><p>Eyes still closed, he tried to push one of his arms up but the sudden flinch the rope gave made it recoil. Sighing, Seonghwa finally decided to open them up and the sight that welcomed him made his insides coil unsettled: a guy – he guessed, due the bare flat chest peeking from under the big brown fur wrapping his body, some strange runes drawn all over his skin – was smiling sardonic at his face, one of his hands impatiently fidgeting with one of the tiny bones – some bird’s one, probably – dangling from his neck along with some gems. </p><p>“Oh, you’re awake!” </p><p>He chanted, voice filled with anticipation and a dark tone that made the other one gulp.  As his vision became less blurry, but not at all – his glasses nowhere to be felt on his face –, Seonghwa’s senses started to form a coherent picture of the being in front of him: sharp cheekbones defined the frame of his face along with a thin pointed nose and the two same bright eyes he saw before collapsing; the white locks of that guy reflected the dim light of the surroundings, his smile decorated by some sharp fangs and two pointy ears as the last thing Seonghwa’s confused eyes glimpsed before a hand could grab his face and let his gaze interlock with the guy in front of him. </p><p>“You fell for my trap your first day, <em> cute. </em> Don’t you know the curiosity killed the cat?” </p><p>By saying that, the black nails of his fingers tapped on Seonghwa’s cheeks, followed by the pads of them that squeezed his face before releasing it; the same hand tardily caressed his neck until it reached for Seonghwa’s chest, where it rested. </p><p>Seonghwa could feel his fight or flight instinct pound in every single branch of his body, yet he still found himself mesmerized by the odd aspect that person idly tracing circles on his chest had. He observed the way the sharp feature of that guy lost themselves by being carelessly hugged by the clumps of fur caressing his face, the way those features pretty much made him look like he was...actually really unreal.  </p><p>But Seonghwa was a sceptical, and fantasy creatures belonged to fables and books, nonetheless that person really looked like the so chanted Creature of the woods the village tales told. </p><p>“Who are you?” </p><p>He finally managed to ask, voice thin betraying his concern as he scanned the pretty black claws tapping on his body now rising again towards his face. The Creature smiled at him, his fangs on full display as he loomed with his upper body towards Seonghwa’s one, their foreheads almost touching when his index finger tapped lightly two times on the tip of his nose. Seonghwa wanted to aback, but the stone behind him and the ropes tightening at every movement stopped him. </p><p>“I’m pretty sure you already know the tale of those woods, stranger.” </p><p>His breath hitched over Seonghwa’s skin, the cold sensation running down to his spine when the Creature leisurely placed a what-intended-to-be soothing peck on his cheek, making Seonghwa only quiver furthermore, his fear building up. </p><p>They both locked gazes again and the startled look on Seonghwa’s face only made the other one smile more, lips pressed end eyes narrow as he left his body. He took that short-given time to glance at the surroundings, finding himself in a large space in probably the centre of the woods, the sky visible above his head and the stars twinkling careless in it, as if they were mocking him for his situation. The thing Seonghwa found interesting was the way the cold winter air disappeared in that moment, just as it was suddenly spring.  </p><p>Seconds after, the creature leant down on his stone holding his face with his hands, elbows resting near Seonghwa’s face as he watched him while bouncing happily on his feet. If it wasn’t for the situation and the sudden encounter, he would have found the whole thing way more interesting but his curious side was battling hard with the fear of the unknown.  </p><p>“Relaaaax, I won’t hurt you. I just wanna have some fun, is boring in those woods all alone, you know?” </p><p>The Creature said, his lips pouting childish before bursting a laugh at the concerned look on Seonghwa’s face. His hand reached again for it, dabbing his cheek this time. </p><p>“Th-then...If you intend no harm, why am I tied up?” </p><p>Seonghwa asked, his Adam’s apple going up and down as the creature lolled his head still unsettlingly smiling back at him </p><p>“I said I don’t wanna hurt you, <em> maybe...” </em>he pointed out, his fingers curling on his cheekbones “...not that I don’t want to do something to you.” </p><p>He then stepped up, letting his hands go down in the inside of his fur, searching for something. </p><p>“Didn’t have the pleasure to have someone as my <em> guest </em>from such a long time, those are just some precautions because I don't really feel like playing hunter and prey this night.” </p><p>Seonghwa felt his chest drop in upcoming pure panic at the statement: what had it brought to himself. </p><p>He had written enough stories to know that being tied up by some dark creature wasn’t nothing good, yet he still found something endearing in the presence near him. He was scary, indeed, but some odd charm imbued his whole personality, making it hard to ignore the way the stars delineated his pretty side profile as he kept searching. Seonghwa was definitely confused and scared, but he was also charmed as a black magic spell was casted above him. </p><p>The tiny hand fumbling in the fur finally took out a little crystal bottle, the golden fluid inside it moving slow with the way the creature shook the bottle in front of his face. </p><p>“Do you know what honey made from azaleas does?” </p><p>Seonghwa knew, he had read about it while gaining information on poisons to create an artifact for one of his books. Azaleas’ honey was dangerous, it was called the “Mad Honey” as it brought people savouring it slowly lose control, but a small amount of it was enough to make the one eating go in a state of dizziness similar to being drunk, or high.  </p><p>Sending down his throat a clump of saliva, Seonghwa firmly shook his head a “yes” and the Creature sent his brows up amused, his fangs peeking from his mouth again as he placid hoisted his body on the stone, slowly crawling over Seonghwa’s body that went rigid feeling the sudden closeness. </p><p>“For real? You’re smart...tell me about it.” </p><p>“It’s called Mad Honey, well known since the first century for the way it poisoned some Roman troops back in Grece.” </p><p>The Creature smiled accomplished, then spoke again with a firm tone. </p><p>“Since you know about it, I’ll take care of you in a different way from what I’ve initially planned.” </p><p>He let the tiny cork pop down and roll on the side of their bodies as he covered his fingers with a small amount of honey. Then, after he granted himself full attention from Seonghwa – that was actually studying his movements, his eyes glimpsing the torn brown pants he had under his fur as the only other garment he wore – he brought them to his mouth and painted his rosy lips with it as it was some kind of lipstick.   </p><p>With sticky lips, the creature lowered again over Seonghwa, cupping his face between his hands before speaking, his breath cold over the latter’s skin. </p><p>“Open your mouth for me... if you’ll be obedient, I’ll be nice to you too.” </p><p>Seonghwa observed charmed the way the honey formed thin sticky wires between his lips every time he spoke; the vision was appealing, he had to admit it, but the fear ringing in his ears was still present and loud. But, after all, what could he do? Being tied like that and threatened by that Creature? No option was left more than surrender.  </p><p>He breathed in, hard, then he briefly pressed his lips together before obeying to the order, slowly giving access to his mouth at the Creature that grinned before lowering more, making their lips connect ravenous. He was not gentle at all, his tongue darting in greedy till the start and his fangs burying into the soft flesh of Seonghwa’s lip as honey mixed with their spit, making that gluttonous kiss bittersweet. Scratching at Seonghwa’s skin, the latter let his nails press just a little bit harder into it, laying white painless lines over it as he nibbled hungry at the softness between his teeth, pulling away greedy after licking the plump lips under his with lust. </p><p>Seonghwa was left breathless, his mouth full with the sugary savour of honey mixed with fear and – reluctant at admitting it – arousal. He let the creature feel his body with his palms as he contemplated his sly tongue brush above swollen lips, their colour brightening up after the connection. </p><p>“Good boy.” </p><p>The Creature said after humming pleased, placing a tender pat above Seonghwa’s head before stroking some of his locks away from his forehead, exposing it. As time passed, Seonghwa started feeling his mind dizzy and his eyes blinked trying to keep the other figure focussed; the other one noticed it and, as he was once again searching something between the folds of his fur, he took out a sharp object from it. It looked like a knife, a fine one if Seonghwa had the chance to state it: its hilt was ivory white, flowers were engraved over it and a little pink stone could be spotted in the middle of some of them; the blade was short enough to be easily hid without harming yourself, but long enough to reach some vital spots if used to cut. </p><p>Elegant, the Creature brought the knife to Seonghwa’s face, caressing it with the flat of the blade as he trailed his way to his neck, scratching lightly over the fabric of his sweater when he met it. </p><p>“You’re such a pretty one...it would be a shame if I <em> accidentally </em>decided to engrave a little mark on your face, or your neck...wouldn't it?” </p><p>He teased, voice dark and low as the tip of his knife set under Seonghwa’s chin making him throw his head back, exposing his neck more. </p><p>“Please don’t.” </p><p>Seonghwa begged, his head beginning to spin while the cold blade traced the shape of his jaw. The creature giggled, then leant closer to place a peck on a specific spot under Seonghwa’s ear, making him gulp. </p><p>“Beg for me. And call my name...” he rose, his eyes locking with Seonghwa’s intimidated ones’ “...Hongjoong. My name is Hongjoong. Call for it.” </p><p>That said, Hongjoong applied more pressure to the knife, threatening to cut in if Seonghwa didn’t act quick at his request. And he started counting, in his mind, at the count of three he’d just slice his throat open. </p><p>At the count of 1...2... </p><p>“Please, please Hongjoong don’t do it. I’m begging you, don’t...I’ll do whatever you want. Fine.” </p><p>That was it. Seonghwa just dug his grave unconsciously, unwillingly.  </p><p>Hongjoong smiled, his fangs doing their show again while lessening the pressure on his neck as he let the knife travel down to his chest, caressing the clothed skin until he reached for the tucked part of the sweater where he sunk the blade and slit up with a single move. Seonghwa’s upper body, by that, was now bare and the sweater – reduced in two symmetrical pieces – just hung destroyed around his arms, being the only thing covered by then. </p><p>No cold air hit Seonghwa’s skin as he was left naked, it definitely sounded wrong being both of them in an open space but he was having an intercourse with an <em> evil magical creature </em>, that was the last thing to be surprised. </p><p>“What a good boy...do you want me to reward you? You’re entertaining me so well.” </p><p>He mocked, his body lowering to quickly press against Seonghwa letting him feel the warmth of his skin for a moment, making him sigh as he aimed for another ravenous kiss. When they parted, a strand of spit connected their mouths for a moment before it broke on Seonghwa’s chin.  </p><p>Seonghwa started to feel way dizzier, the honey flavour lingering in his mouth every time they kissed. He licked his lips, letting out a sigh when Hongjoong brushed his hand on his chest, padding inches of skin until it laid flat on his tummy. Seonghwa felt something build up just right under the other palm on his skin and he kind of wondered if some aphrodisiac had been mixed with the honey. </p><p>“You have such a nice skin, I’m envious.” </p><p>Hongjoong whined, lowering with his face over Seonghwa’s neck to nibble at it, his fangs scratching the skin making him jolt a little at every new bite. Seonghwa wanted so bad to have his limbs freed, he felt an unnatural need to grab those white locks between his fingers and pin that boy down, letting him regret his decision; so, he found himself simultaneously confused and regretful of that situation – and the way his will to know brought it at him – and aroused by it. </p><p>Seonghwa was a sceptical, but the fact that the ravenous creature of the woods he was so sceptical about was right there abusing him – and <em> he </em> was letting him do that – made him reconsider his thoughts about tales. </p><p>Hongjoong placed a wet kiss right at the base of his neck, biting it a little bit too harsh than before almost sinking his fangs in, making Seonghwa kick his leg a little, receiving a lap as an answer. </p><p>“You’re liking this, aren’t you? Just admit you’re a dirty one and the thought of the supernatural abusing you fucking arouses you.” </p><p>  He mocked, his lips still near his neck brushing while talking. Hongjoong brought his knife again after Seonghwa’s skin, tracing a line from his neck to his chest where he started drawing something unknown leaving in white marks without cutting further. </p><p>“Admit it.” </p><p>Seonghwa let out a whine and sobbed, his eyes lucid as he searched for Hongjoong’s face, finding him piercing with his gaze at his own.  </p><p>And Hongjoong started counting in his mind. At 1...2... </p><p>“Yes. Yes, it’s true...it’s.... it’s true.” </p><p>He had to gain all his strength to say that as his mind was confused, dizzy and high of everything in the moment. Again, he received a pleased smile and a hum from Hongjoong, that decided to reward him by finally dropping his lower body over his hips. As he did, he let his ass brush over Seonghwa’s private parts, receiving a throaty moan in response. </p><p>“You’re really an obedient one, aren’t you?” </p><p>Seonghwa hummed, his head clumsily nodding as he received another brush of hips that made him bite at his lower lip. </p><p>“You want to fuck me so bad, don’t you?” </p><p>At that, Seonghwa had to catch his breath as he felt the knot in his stomach build up and his cock twitch in his pants at the next slow, greedy brush of hips Hongjoong  wryly placed on him. Once again, he intimated the latter to answer, the blade under his chin again and Seonghwa quickly voiced a submissive “yes”. </p><p>Hongjoong smiled again, the corners of his lips going unsettlingly up before letting the knife rest on his sides, his hands both free to palm every inch of Seonghwa’s skin under them. With a quick movement, Hongjoong lowered his head on the other’s chest and started biting and sucking marks in it, making out a mess on the sensitive skin that made Seonghwa’s back arch hot toward Hongjoong’s body. </p><p>He kept teasing him a little before gradually slip between his legs, sitting on his heels with knees pushing them open, his hands fidgeting with the fastening of Seonghwa's belt. Seonghwa stared at him, his eyes needy as he let them travel over the small hands of the other one: his finger teased him as he let them intertwine with the belt and then let go without taking it off, his dick twitched every time one of them brushed lightly on his crotch, baiting. </p><p>“Please Hongjoong...” </p><p>Seonghwa’s voice was needy and languorous, Hongjoong smiled at that. </p><p>“Please<em> what </em>?” </p><p>He mocked, his palm pressed on Seonghwa’s crotch again receiving a grunt. </p><p>“Please, don’t do that.” </p><p>“I am the one dictating rules here.” </p><p>He coldly said, his hands totally leaving Seonghwa’s body just to let Hongjoong free himself of his fur and, next, his pants. At that, he was fully naked and on display for Seonghwa only to watch, his hands aching to touch as they were being restricted by the ropes. </p><p>Hongjoong smiled, foxy, and decided to sat again over Seonghwa’s dick as he let his ass brush over it again. Seonghwa whined, the vision of Hongjoong upcoming hardness brushing on his lower tum made him sigh. </p><p>“<em> God </em>.”  </p><p>He said under his breath anticipating the hand Hongjoong used to grab his face, their eyes again constricted on each other. </p><p>“Let’s see how much you can handle this, shall we?” </p><p>He said before kissing greedy Seonghwa’s plump lips, leaving them swollen after it. He gave a slow, painful brush of hips over Seonghwa, letting one of his hands draw a line from the latter’s neck to his navel – he felt all the little scratches under his pads pleased –, switching over his own thigh, hovering on his own dick before he could place it on his chest and caress one of his nipples. </p><p>“If you look away, I’ll cut your stomach open. Understood?” </p><p>He threatened, his voice low and lustful as he gave in another thrust of hips receiving a moan from Seonghwa, that had his eyes glued over him by the time. Thrilled, Hongjoong started stimulating his nipples, caressing his chest and switching from one to another and Seonghwa was captured by how the creature’s face started to twist pleased as he did that to himself. Gulping, Seonghwa tried to give a brief thrust of his hips up, letting Hongjoong feel him under the fabric against his ass; it kind of worked, Hongjoong let out a sigh meeting his thrust as he brought his other hand to his dick, starting to work on it painfully slow for both of them. </p><p>It needed few to have Hongjoong whining over Seonghwa, his dick leaking precum as he stimulated himself and let the other one only watch and not touch. The only way Seonghwa had to interact were the slow thrusts he gave in sometime just to savour Hongjoong’s expression twist a little bit more; he felt his dick twitch in his pants more when Hongjoong just straight up spread his legs open, licking his fingers famished before he reached for his own hole and started tracing circles on it while he sustained his weight with his other hand, firmly grabbing on Seonghwa’s thigh. </p><p>Hongjoong pressed with one of his fingers in and let out a throaty moan, followed by a whine from Seonghwa that instinctively pulled his arms up, just to feel the rope scratch against his wrists. He was hating the way not only that guy abducted him, not only drugged him and threatened him, but he was now making him aroused as fuck as he fingered himself open right in front of him without letting him do anything. He wanted, by then, just fuck the shit out of that little brat. </p><p>“Like what you see?” </p><p>Hongjoong teased, his finger moving in and out before a second one could go in and stretch him bit by bit, sometimes carelessly brushing against his prostate letting out a needy moan that made Seonghwa’s insides twist in amusement. </p><p>When the third finger went in and Hongjoong threw his head back, exposing the untouched skin of his neck, Seonghwa decided it was enough and gave a little thrust of his hips up before talking. </p><p>“Hongjoong, please, let me...let me fuck you, please. Please, I can’t take it anymore.” </p><p>Hongjoong stopped fingering himself just to look at Seonghwa with narrow ravenous eyes, the latter felt himself being eaten up just by that look. </p><p>“Say it one more time.” </p><p>He teased, his voice cracked and breathy as he took his fingers out of his ass and slowly placed them on Seonghwa’s belly. </p><p>“Please, Hongjoong, let me fuck you.” </p><p>Again, Hongjoong received what he wanted and gave out a sly chuckle as he let his hands travel to Seonghwa’s clothes to quickly remove them, almost tearing them apart from his body as he freed his length from that fabric prison. Hongjoong palmed Seonghwa’s dick and the other one let out a cry, his body sensitive due his high state thanks to the honey. </p><p>“Good boy, come here.” </p><p>Hongjoong said before lowering his face over Seonghwa’s crotch to trail some kisses from the base of his length to the head of it, where he sucked a bit bathing himself into Seonghwa’s moans. Right after, he crawled again over him and grabbed Seonghwa’s dick between his tiny hands, guiding him to align with his own hole before fully sinking down, taking him all in a row. </p><p>Seonghwa threw his head back at that, the knot in his stomach growing more hearing the low grunt Hongjoong did when he stilled on him. Seonghwa finally trailed his eyes to Hongjoong and decided to admire the way his sweat made his skin glow in the dim light of the night, the runes tattooed on his upper body standing out contrasting with the candid colour of it, his cheeks flushed of a pretty red. Seonghwa noticed how Hongjoong muscles were twitching and gave a slow thrust up making him bounce over him, Hongjoong simply moaned pleased as he grabbed Seonghwa’s waist, using it as a lever before moving. </p><p>After some initial slow bounces, Hongjoong started to take rhythm and Seonghwa decided to help the other ride him with some timed thrusts that sent both of them cloud nine. Seonghwa would for sure feel dirty and wrong after all of that was over, but for now he decided to just ride both of their orgasms as they felt closer at every thrust. </p><p>Hongjoong lazily started stroking his dick as he felt himself close, just to come some seconds later with the prettiest whimper Seonghwa had the chance to hear that night. </p><p>“<em> Fuck </em>...I... Fuck Hongjoong I’m gonna come.” </p><p>“Come inside.” </p><p>He simply said, still riding his orgasm with spasms as he felt his cum trail down on his tum, some strand of it laying over Seonghwa’s body too. And as he was done, Seonghwa just followed him with a deeper trust that Hongjoong met with his own movement, making him quiver and moan throaty as he emptied into Hongjoong’s ass. </p><p>Hongjoong collapsed tired over Seonghwa’s upper body and both of their breaths stayed unsteady until Hongjoong finally pulled out with a whine, rising from the latter letting Seonghwa’s cum spill from his ass to his leg. </p><p>Seonghwa was still catching breath when Hongjoong took his fur again, wrapping himself into it and getting off from Seonghwa and the stone, his footsteps unsteady and limping. </p><p>“What...what are you doing....” </p><p>Seonghwa asked, a bit startled by the way Hongjoong soon left his body to stand right near him, his elbows on the stone as he studied Seonghwa’s sweaty face with a cold look. </p><p>“That’s really a shame, you’re so pretty.” </p><p>He said, before lifting one of his hands that was holding his knife in it again. </p><p>“Wait- What-” </p><p>“You already know...” </p><p>Hongjoong started, his face enclosing with Seonghwa’s one that was fully painted in panic when he met his eyes. </p><p>“You know what the tales tell. No one comes out alive from these woods.” </p><p>He whispered on his lips, connecting them to choke the muffled scream Seonghwa let out as his knife sunk deep right under his ribcage. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>SOOOOO HELL-O MY DEAR FELLAS HOW ARE WE FEELING AFTER THIS, no because I needed to wash myself into bleach mixed with holy water and you're all coming down to hell with me for enjoying it.<br/>That said, thanks for reading this!<br/>Biggest thanks to my two lovely beta-readers *sends kisses to the sky*</p><p>    See you soon!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Flower Shop</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So, hi everyone! I decided to turn this into something a little bit longer but expect reaaaaally slow updates and nothing more than probably 5 chapters ahahah<br/>And, yes, it's gonna be a PWP (even if there is no smut in this chapter) and I'll eventually add tags in as I write and post!<br/>That said, I hope you enjoy it!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Seonghwa woke up. His forehead dripping sweat, his locks stuck over it while his mouth grasped for air, as it had been fully taken away from his lungs in a heartbeat. He rose, snapping his upper body forward and letting his hand run to his chest feeling a strange, ghost pain in it, his insides somehow disrupted. Seonghwa expected to feel his hand wet whit blood – or at least feel some bandages under it –, yet he simply felt the soft fabric of his black pyjama shirt under it.  </p><p>Quickly darting his eyes around, still founding himself surrounded by darkness and a strand of dim light – a yellowy one, thought –, Seonghwa was astonished at recognizing the not-so-familiar walls of the bedroom in his new house, the brown flower-printed curtains screening the warm rays of the sun idly peeking in between. </p><p>Had it all been a dream? No, <em> a nightmare. </em>  </p><p>Still having trouble at catching his breath steady, he brushed his face with his fingers, covering his eyes with his palm as he inhaled and exhaled a big suspire. </p><p>Not that he could not predict it, but it was kind of expected for him to be so impacted by those tales and the sight of the night woods, that he just ended up dreaming about sceneries about them. About the Creature haunting them. </p><p>The only thing bothering Seonghwa was the way he did dream about such a violent and naughty sexual intercourse with said Creature. He never got a clear description about it and he could pretty much recall the manner his brain decided to picture it as a beautiful young man with pointy ears and sharp fangs. His abstinence was telling him that he’d preferer to even fuck a devil more than staying ashore any more. He wasn’t even in those kinds of BDSM things but, apparently, his mind knew more; Seonghwa would’ve reconsidered the option if a chance was given, <em> probably </em>. </p><p>Just as his breath had finally become steady, Seonghwa rose, one of his hands still lingering on his chest uncapable to realise the strange ghost feeling of organs being twisted under it, as if the knife of his dreams was still jabbed in his flesh. Exhaling, he reached for his breakfast dragging his feet across the house, the tingling fabric of the short carpet in the hall caressing them. </p><p>Pouring down a load of milk in his espresso – along with four spoons of sugar, the bitter aroma in it totally disappearing –, Seonghwa wandered with his eyes to the upcoming familiar view of the woods, peaking at it across the living room – being the kitchen and it almost a single room – and enjoying the yellowy rays of sun painting the green mass. Diverging from the night, the woods in the sun looked pretty much a faery calm place, a quantity of little flowers coating the perimeter of them, brightening the grass with white and yellow spots – some pink and purple could be spotted among the blossoms. </p><p>For a little while, he lost himself in the firmness of the foliage bathing into the sun. The wind nowhere to be felt, or heard. He wondered if the wind, too, was part of his dream. </p><p> </p><p>─────────────── </p><p> </p><p>“Cash or card?” </p><p>The town was small, pretty rural if Seonghwa had to say – and it really seemed the setting of some modern fantasy book, the rustic appearance of the buildings fitting well the green fields of the surroundings –, but every shop was well equipped with modern technologies and he mentally thanked some unknown God as he swiped his card in the terminal for the payment. He gladly welcomed the lovely smell of new books mixing with the old wooden shelves when he stepped in that library, the warm light coming from the outside creating a mellow atmosphere. And, of course, being a writer himself he had to lose his mind between newest and oldest releases, stored with the maximum care by the owners of the place. </p><p>So, he walked out, a bag with three new books in hand – some fantasy crimes one, his previous <em> dream </em> inspiring him –, just in time to hear his stomach grumble and glimpse to the nearest coffee shop. There weren’t many, but he quite recalled a cute one with an old decorated banner on the same street before stopping to the library.   </p><p>Seonghwa quickly retraced his route until he stepped into the desired place, grabbed some coffee – with<em> a lot </em>of milk in it – and a dough – a home-made one, its smell tingling his nostrils – and quickly stepped outside glancing to the pinkish cart in front of him, some pots with pansies smiling at Seonghwa colourfully. A flower shop, window frames and banner of it a matching pastel pink to the cart and some pastel orange decorations all above; peeking through the glass, Seonghwa was in awe with the huge number of plants and different flowers sprawled all around the shop, being it bigger than it seemed from the outside.  </p><p>Curious, Seonghwa took a sip of his coffee and held both the bag with the books and the bag with the dough in one hand, then pushed the door of the shop that made a little tingly sound as it brushed with the little bell attached on it. No one came out of the backside of the shop, but a distant male voice reached Seonghwa’s ears as he looked around between pots of roses and camelias. </p><p>“One second! I’m fixing some pots here, just look around as you may please.” </p><p>Seonghwa gave a loud enough “sure” as he stayed with his eyes on the plants, several colours hitting his pupils as he sipped another time from his cup. There were so many flowers he wasn’t sure he could recall all their names: pansies, roses, camelias, orchids, sunflowers, daisies and many more. Gently, Seonghwa lead one of his fingers to idly brush over the velvety petals of a red rose, feeling the fresh skin of it for a second before he bent a little bit down, his nose catching all the scent as he inhaled.  </p><p>“Those roses are quite new, they came in yesterday, Sir. Are you interested?” </p><p>In the process of turning, he almost dropped the half-empty cup in his hand and the two bags when he firstly saw – and processed – the appearance of the person in front of him. White locks brushed his forehead, a sharp pointy nose outstanding along with the cat-like eyes, a subtle veil of makeup covering and accentuating them sunny brown colour. He hadn’t white eyes, he hadn’t sharp fangs – his rosy lips curved in a cute innocent smile –, he neither had pointy ears but Seonghwa almost collapsed at seeing the Creature of his dreams just standing in front of him, brushing some dirt from his hands after de-potting some plants. </p><p>He may had fear plastered all over his face, because the guy in front of him widened his eyes in preoccupation. </p><p>“Are you ok Sir? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” </p><p><em> Not really. </em>He thought, Seonghwa’s hand clutching on the paper bags while he gulped and quickly exhaled his breath. </p><p>“No, you... you just reminded me of someone I knew, ahah.” </p><p>Ok, that was quite <em> strange. </em> </p><p>First option: Seonghwa could have seen that guy the previous day while grocery shopping, probably bumping into him and not recalling anything as he was super tired after the trip, and his mind kindly decided to give his face to the Creature in his dreams – kind of fitting, perhaps. </p><p>Second option: it was just all a big coincidence; it happens to dream about people that you never met and then find someone that looks quite the same in the real life. That wasn’t such a big deal from that perspective. </p><p>Third option: that guy <em> was </em> the actual Creature that kidnapped him, abused him in the middle of the woods, tried to kill him but then managed to stop and make him survive, healed his wounds and brought him back to his house before he could wake up and witness everything, making it all seem a big ass dream. The Creature that kept saying it was “such a shame” for him being that pretty and very dead at the end of his <em> dream </em>; very much a shame that he probably decided to let him go, make it all seem a dream and call it a day as he retired in his woods again. But if it was like that, what obligation did the Creature – did Hongjoong – had to open up a flower shop in the middle of the town?  </p><p>No sense. </p><p>“Are...are you sure? You’re not allergic to any of my plants, aren’t you?” </p><p>The Hongjoong-like guy insisted, his hands placing the dirty cloth he used to clean them on the counter. Seonghwa hummed trying to display his nicest smile to reassure him, ending up with a painfully crooked one that made the other guy giggle a little. At least, he seemed to not care much about his distressed expression. </p><p>“Do you need a hand?” </p><p>The latter said, touching the little butterfly shaped necklace he wore, making the pendant face Seonghwa with his beautiful blue colour. </p><p>Of course, that was a <em> shop </em> . And you <em> buy </em> things from <em> shops.  </em> </p><p>Seonghwa cleared his throat, quickly slumped down a big chunk of coffee and then spoke. </p><p>“I... I saw from the outside you have plenty of flowers in here. I was wondering if you could, uhm, recommend me some to keep my house colourful. Yes.” </p><p>The florist nodded, his face pensive as he hastily browsed between the pots in the shop, moving graceful among them and letting his hands slide in and take out two. Meanwhile, Seonghwa was captured by the way he moved among those plants as he perfectly knew what the answer to all his questions was, concealed in the leaves of those blooms. </p><p>“I don’t know if you have a garden you could plant in some, so here are my two best options.” </p><p>He turned facing Seonghwa, their eyes meeting and smiling at each other kindly. </p><p>“You could use some orchids if you want to keep them inside, just put them near your window and remember to water them the right number of times...” he said lolling the pot a little, the buds on the long green stems moving along “...and I have them in pink, white and purple...” he placed the vase on the counter, then held the other one with both hands “...but, if you have a garden, I truly recommend those ones. They bloom the whole year, make great bushes and need some cure, but they for sure are a majestic pink colour when they’re at their best.” </p><p>Seonghwa’s heart stopped, his breath trapped in his lungs when he recognised what flower was the florist holding.  </p><p>“Azaleas!” </p><p>“Azaleas-” </p><p>They both said, at unison, the florist with a fresh tone and Seonghwa with a thin line of voice. </p><p>Coincidences were a thing; they could happen sometimes and Seonghwa knew. But when it came to all those similarities all at once, his brain couldn’t really process them as a coincidence. However, he was still a sceptical and he was pretty sure the whole thing happened the night before was just a dream, yet that florist and that situation was playing him so wrong he almost felt uneasy at the next kind smile the latter gave to him. Almost a fable, almost another dream, what was the truth behind everything? Was that boy really Hongjoong undercover, playing with him once again? </p><p>Seonghwa breathed in, drank the last drop of coffee and fixed his eyes into the warmer ones in front of him. Those couldn’t be the same ravenous eyes that abused him the night before. </p><p>“I think I’ll go with the orchids, maybe some purple ones.” </p><p>He said, his voice steady and kind of cold as he let the florist go back to pick up some nice purple orchids, their buds not opened yet as he could enjoy them best and for a longer period of time. </p><p>The rest of their interaction was almost silent, the Hongjoong-like guy trying to ask something to Seonghwa – “are you new here? I’ve never seen you around until today! – receiving some hums and brisk answers.  He wanted to leave from that place: as idyllic as it looked with all the colours and the plants, it unsettled Seonghwa the more the guy in front of him just spoke and moved around in a fairy-like grace.  </p><p>Seonghwa swiped his card for the second time of the day, the florist gently placed the orchid in a bag large enough to not hurt the plant and gave it to him. </p><p>“Thanks for your purchase, Sir! I’ll be glad to have you here again.” </p><p>He said with a cheerful tone, Seonghwa simply nodded. </p><p>The door tingled again the bell over it and Seonghwa could hear the latter speak again before stepping outside. </p><p>“That’s a shame, those azaleas are so pretty to be left here. Such a shame...” </p><p>He quivered, the tone of the florist turning dark with the last remark, making Seonghwa leave him unanswered. </p><p>If he turned, Seonghwa was sure enough to find that same creepy smile he saw in his dreams. </p><p> </p><p>─────────────── </p><p> </p><p>“<em> What??? So, you’re telling me you had a fucking nightmare and the florist at the shop looked like the guy in your dreams that killed you??? That’s insane. </em>” </p><p>San spoke with a squeaky surprised tone on the phone, Seonghwa held it between his ear and his shoulder as he poured some water into his mug, the teabag into it slowly soaking and releasing the bitter smell. </p><p>“I know. That's so fucking strange, San...I don’t even know how to explain it.” </p><p>Seonghwa said, his hand taking the teabag in and out his mug before letting it rest at the bottom of it. </p><p>“It looks like some strange trick of fate, but I’m pretty sure I’m probably just overthinking it. I may have seen him yesterday and my brain did the rest. I mean, he still has white-dyed hair, that’s not something that goes unseen.” </p><p>“<em> You’re probably right...it must be just a big ass coincidence... </em> ” San said, Seonghwa could hear a distant hello coming from the other side of the phone “... <em> Wooyoung says hi, by the way.” </em> </p><p>He smiled, letting his hand travel from the mug to the device to grab it and let his shoulder rest. </p><p>“Say hi from me too.” </p><p>“<em> How is the investigation on the woods going? Since you’ve been there from a day and already dreamed about a... dark elf? Something like that. </em>” </p><p>Seonghwa giggled and just watched the puffs coming from the mug travel to the ceiling, vanishing quite immediately without leaving a trace. He wished the Creature of his dream could do the same, but life apparently shook her head a “no” to him. </p><p>Regardless that, Seonghwa proceeded to illustrate his day to San, chitchatting more or less about the various things happened in addition to the flower shop thing. And they kept talking for approximately an hour before Seonghwa could notice the sun setting down, the red light from the outside changing the purple colour of the orchid’s petals – after he properly placed it near one of the windows – into a dark burgundy. They greeted each other, Seonghwa acknowledging once again the screaming voice of Wooyoung that wanted to say goodbye and then closing the call. </p><p>He felt somehow inspired and wanted to write down something, but before doing it he briskly snapped a pic of the orchid and sent it to San captioning it with “the infamous plant”. </p><p>San answered with a laughing emoticon. </p><p> </p><p>─────────────── </p><p> </p><p>“This situation will cost you lots. You know that, right?” </p><p>Hongjoong scoffed taking off the butterfly necklace, gently hanging it on the standee he craved from some wood, painted with little flower at the base making it resemble a little tree. As soon as it was off, the illusion wrapping his body dispelled and his sharp fangs were shown along with the whiteish irises.  </p><p>Fifteen? Sixteen? He had lost track of how many years he was actually able to blend in between the villagers, changing his appearance to better match his phony as time went by. That little necklace of his, brewed with wizardry, was the key of his camouflage, as it let him play one of the many games of his and eased the hunt for magical ingredients that couldn’t be found in the woods. Some plants didn’t grow there, alas Hongjoong decided to open up a little flower shop that he used to buy and sell the flowers he needed for the rituals, as he did for the azaleas that he tried to sell to that single victim of his, left alive because he was – recalling his own thoughts while he observed life evaporate from his eyes – “too pretty and funny to play with to die”. </p><p>Seonghwa was different from the other abductees, Hongjoong could tell; he enjoyed his performance way too much for being a simple boy. He had something, something Hongjoong never saw in the women and men getting killed right after he had fun: he saw the pleasure mixing with fear and arousal in his eyes as it never did in anyone else, keeping some kind of innocence and anticipation in them even if the blade of his knife was under his skin, pushing to his heart making blood splatter everywhere. </p><p>And it was that innocence and Hongjoong’s upcoming need to take it all away that stopped him before Seonghwa could exhale his last, bloodied breath. Hongjoong just needed to magically heal him in the same way he did with the animals of the forest and accompany him back to his house with the help of his two <em> friends; </em> and one of them was now nagging the latter right away for his childish behaviour – as if he didn’t support him in the first place. </p><p>“You could’ve stopped me from saving him. You’re part of this problem too, Yeosang.” </p><p>Hongjoong said, taking off the white shirt part of his work uniform and wrapping his naked torso in one of his beloved furs – a black bear’s one that time, the poor animal being killed by the hunters and him not being able to save it when he discovered the deed.  </p><p>Sitting on a rattan armchair – some flowers peeking between the holes, the back of it decorated with leaves; Hongjoong bought that furniture from the market and was, by that time, deliciously placed in the big sequoia trunk the three of them craved to use as a house –, Yeosang idly crossed his legs before caressing the beak of one of the crows the last member of their trio used to raise. He let his gaze travel from the black bird to Hongjoong’s back, meeting the other’s one when he turned while wearing that little thorny crown he loved to carry. </p><p>“I’d rather see you trying to put the situation together and enjoy the show more than deprive myself from such an amusement.” </p><p>He smiled, the sharp teeth making an appearance on his face too, all of them enclosed by two pink lips prettily contrasting with the white skin of his. Diverging from Hongjoong, Yeosang’s hair were long and black, reaching his shoulders and brushing above the long leaves-coat he carried around; under it a black shirt did its appearance, tucked in a pair of long torn pants of the same colour. The only thing matching between them was the bare feet and the multitude of necklace and earrings made with natural elements that dangled all over their bodies. </p><p>Hongjoong chuckled, his hand dramatically brushing some imaginary dust away from Yeosang’s shoulder after enclosing with him. Yeosang let him, keeping his eyes on the latter’s face observing every single move he did: despite all, they were still creature of the woods, dark and erratic. None of them could really know what went around in their minds.  </p><p>“I’m not one of your cute little preys, Yeosang. I won’t bend to your mind games, I am capable to handle everything that will come.” </p><p>Yeosang preferred way of breaking his victims was some psychological manipulation that Hongjoong never understood. For heaven’s sake, he loved to see people break under his words and actions, but the way Yeosang insisted on their minds more than their bodies scared Hongjoong himself. Too bad even Hongjoong’s ways scared Yeosang, his ravenous attitude pinched the other’s nerves every time his hearing was able to witness the sound of bones breaking or muscles being teared apart when the victim was still alive. They were dangerous, but in a different manner that scared either way. </p><p>“No mind games played here, you’ll be the one doing that to yourself.” </p><p>Remarked Yeosang, his hand coming to shoo away the tinier one that stilled on his shoulder. Hongjoong moved away, his stance flying to the chest where he kept all the potions and infuses he used during his magic stuffs. Letting the glasses clink as he searched, he took out a small vial with some coral liquid in it. </p><p>“We’ll see. Let’s not put our mission out of focus, anyway. We still don’t want any human in these woods. Not after the accident.” </p><p>Hongjoong heard Yeosang’s body leave the seat, his footsteps closer before feeling his pads above his head and brushing the white locks. </p><p>“It won’t happen again, Hongjoong. Not after he retired himself in the inside of the woods to care about the animals.” </p><p>“We never know, Yeosang.” </p><p>Both of them went silent, their eyes locked in a knowing look while their breath was blocked in their lungs for a moment. </p><p>Only when a third figure came in, dashing to the crow on the rattan armchair, they resorted.  </p><p>“Cookie you were here! God, I thought some hunter killed you...you never leave the nests without letting me know!” </p><p>The boy picked up the crow that cuddled towards his naked chest like a kitten, the beak brushing his skin making him giggle. Smiling fondly, the last of their trio glanced to the two of them crouched over the chest. He peeked between his friends and noticed the vial in Hongjoong’s hands. </p><p>“Are you going out tonight, Joong? To meet that human you spared?” </p><p>Hongjoong rose, his hands going up to the sky as he stretched his whole body. </p><p>“Yes, Mingi. You two have to keep those woods safe without me for this time.” </p><p>He patted Yeosang’s back before enclosing with Mingi and Cookie – the crow –, caressing the animal head with one of his fingers. Mingi was taller, stronger and looked meaner than the two of them, but he was just a big baby and was – somehow – the pacifist of the trio. </p><p>“Eeeeh- that’s unfair, why are you allowed to go out but not us?” </p><p>Both Hongjoong and Yeosang chuckled, Hongjoong bopped Mingi’s nose before walking away through the door. </p><p>“C’mon Mingi, let’s go.” </p><p>Yeosang said, Hongjoong’s voice could be heard a last time before he dipped into the woods. </p><p>“By the way, Mingi, Cookie it’s not really a good name for a crow!” </p><p> </p><p>─────────────── </p><p> </p><p>Rubbing his temples, Seonghwa let out a big sigh after closing his laptop, not before saving the file he was working at. Nothing much, just some random scribbles he used to write down in a file used as a diary, filled with scraps of thoughts and events he noted for future inspiration. That time, he decided to write down his previous dream and he stopped only when it was already late night and his eyelids felt heavy. He glanced to the clock on the wall: it was almost 2AM.  </p><p>Seonghwa decided to leave the laptop on the dinner table and simply move to the bathroom to brush his teeth – luckily, he already changed into his pyjama before dinner – and then go sink into the bedsheets until the next day. He needed that. </p><p>If it hadn’t been for the sudden darkness and coldness that painted the house the second he stepped outside the bathroom.  </p><p>He was pretty sure to have left the lights on and the windows closed when he went in, so what was that atmosphere now? And oh, if the humming coming from behind his closed bedroom door made him freeze in place. </p><p>Gulping, he let his eyes travel to the door and his ears aim for the hum again. His body started shaking when he could recall some words of it, now clearer as they were closer. </p><p> </p><p><em>There was a boy</em> <br/>
<em>A very strange enchanted boy</em> <br/>
<em>They say he wandered very far, very far</em> <br/>
<em>Over land and sea</em> <br/>
<em>A little shy and sad of eye</em> <br/>
<em>But very wise was he</em> </p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa’s whole self jolted as he recognized Hongjoong’s voice coming behind the walls, the only thing separating them a thin layer of wood with a doorknob on it. One of his hands instinctively went to his chest, pressing the place Hongjoong stabbed in his dream. </p><p><em> Dream. Was it a dream once again? </em> </p><p>With that belief, Seonghwa exhaled and tiptoed to the frame, grabbing the knob firm before opening it all with one move: the view welcoming him made him quiver. </p><p>Hongjoong was laying on his bed, his hand gently turning the pages of one of the books Seonghwa bought as he ate some blackberries from a little basket – he probably brought that with himself from the woods, Seonghwa thought. As soon as the door was open, Hongjoong darted his eyes to the latter, smiling mischievously at him as he munched another berry, sucking his finger dirty with juice. Seonghwa observed, his gaze travelling from the book, to the basket, to Hongjoong’s mouth. </p><p>“Took you long to come out from that bathroom,<em> mh </em>?” </p><p>“What are you...doing here? Is this... a dream?” </p><p>As confused as he was, Seonghwa didn’t let the knob under his fingers go, even when Hongjoong slowly rose from the bed and seductively enclosed with him; he clung on the doorknob as it was his foothold to reality. </p><p>“You could perceive it like that if you want, since you’re supposed to...” Hongjoong let his pads press on the latter's chest, right on <em> that </em> spot “...be dead if it was reality, right?” </p><p>He was shaken, definitely. His mind baffled trying to process the amount of information shoved right in front of his eyes. So, was Hongjoong real? Was he an actual person? Not only the product of his imagination? Above everything, were the florist and Hongjoong the same person? </p><p>Flustered with questions, Seonghwa stared into Hongjoong’s predatory gaze feeling like a sheep and the latter let his mouth bend impish once again. </p><p>“See, dear, it really was a shame to have you dead in the woods. If you’re still alive, you have it to your beauty. Should we let this doorknob go, honey?” </p><p>Scratchy, Hongjoong started his game while traveling with his hand to the one Seonghwa had clung on the knob, caressing the fingers with his own, letting the door go.  Seonghwa couldn’t move his eyes away from the face in front of him, the sharp feature of the creature catching his attention once again. His ears were ringing in danger, but some parts of his brain were just too captured by that phenomenon and Hongjoong knew well how deadly could he be if he desired. </p><p>“Good boy. Theres a reason if I’m here.” </p><p>Seonghwa felt his weight move along with Hongjoong, the two hand of his wrapping around his shoulders as he backed off the door and closed it with a little kick. With that, Seonghwa was now standing some steps away from the bed and Hongjoong idly palmed his frame, stopping on his waist.  </p><p>“You know, most of my victims don’t like what I do to them in those situations, they just scream in fear. Yet...you <em> enjoyed it </em>.” </p><p>Hongjoong reduced distances with Seonghwa’s face as he said that – their breath almost mixing – and Seonghwa let out an – already – submissive sigh when he felt the creature’s hand squeeze around his hips, pushing him further behind letting him touch the bed with the back of his knees.  </p><p>The touch with the bed was enough to bring Seonghwa’s trail of thoughts back in track and he swiftly grabbed Hongjoong’s wrists twisting their positions, pinning him down on the bedsheets. The action made the fur wrapping Hongjoong’s body open and he was, by that, exposed and naked under Seonghwa: this time, no pants were there to be found. Seonghwa, however, didn’t seem to notice as his eyes were still on Hongjoong’s smiling face when he hoovered over him, menacingly. </p><p>“<em> I didn’t. </em>” he said, his hands squeezing on the wrists under them, voice low. </p><p>“Don’t lie to me city boy, you <em> loved </em>it.” </p><p>Silent went over and Seonghwa exhaled a big breath before hearing Hongjoong laugh mockingly to him. </p><p>“The reason I’m here is because I liked it too, we could make this a deal.” </p><p>Seonghwa’s brow rose, Hongjoong chuckled. </p><p>“You’re a fantasy novelist, right? I saw your handwritten scraps and the copy of your book.” </p><p>Hongjoong gestured with his head to the nightstand where one of Seonghwa’s publications was resting, along with one of his notebooks. He nodded, Hongjoong brought one of his legs around Seonghwa’s one and pushed him closer; the latter tried to resist, but the way Hongjoong stared lustful in his eyes made him surrender. </p><p>“I give you all the information about magic you want to know – of course, some things will be sliiightly changed, sugar – and you give me yourself in exchange. What do you think?” </p><p><em> Well </em>, that was appealing. And as far as he knew, that could still be a dream and not reality; so, would it be a deal with his own mind? Would that unlock some branch of imagination that wanted to flow out in that abnormal way? As an impish dark creature using his body in exchange of ideas about magic. </p><p>Seonghwa was a sceptical, and the only reason he saw to deny that sly contract was for it to turn out as reality and not just a dream. </p><p>“I have a question for you” he worded after some seconds, Hongjoong tilted his head curious. </p><p>“You and the town florist are the same person, right?” </p><p>Hongjoong shrugged, his eyes closed for a moment as he did a pensive hum before opening them again and answer. </p><p>“I don’t know, are we the same person in your mind?” </p><p>Seonghwa shily nodded. </p><p>“So, we are. Up to you.” </p><p>He wanted to tear that sly attitude of his from Hongjoong’s body, and suddenly that deal became way more appealing if put in that position: he could finally gain his revenge from it. </p><p>“Fine. What are your conditions?” </p><p>Seonghwa said as he lowered a little bit towards Hongjoong, who arched his back like a needy kitten when he felt hot breath above his skin. Seonghwa was, by then, an inch away from his face and his eyes were filled with that feeling of fear and arousal Hongjoong wanted to bathe in. </p><p>“I lead, you follow. That’s the only condition.” </p><p>Silence again, then an answer came. </p><p>“Deal.” </p><p>And with that, Hongjoong pushed his head up to meet Seonghwa’s lips in a ravenous kiss, his other leg followed the previous and squeezed the other’s body down. When he felt the pressure on the wrists lessen, he gave a thrust with his whole body hard enough to bring Seonghwa under him; Hongjoong took both of Seonghwa’s hands with his tinier one, bringing them above is head as he dipped down for another libidinous kiss. He parted only when Seonghwa almost choked in it. </p><p>“Then let’s have fun, <em> shall we </em>?” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>As you can predict from the ending, there's gonna be a smut chapter right after this lololol<br/>Let's see when I'll be able to write it with my spikes of inspirations :^<br/>And, yes, I've added Yeosang and Mingi in for plot purposes. Hope you like the fact that they're on the creatures of the woods side^^<br/>See you next update!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Rose Riddle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>! Smut in the first part !</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hongjoong pulled Seonghwa’s hair when he bobbed his head quicker on his dick, his hips spasmed with pleasure as he let out a short moan while clenching the bedsheets under him. He pleasantly discovered that the novelist was quick to get into submission, Hongjoong just needed to pour tiny bits of magic knowledge into his ears to make him kneel for him – quite literally.   </p><p>So he was, by the time, sitting on the bed – actually, almost laying as his back was giving out with the little shocks of pleasure running through it – with Seonghwa between his legs, those two plump lips of his wrapped around Hongjoong’s length as he kept sucking and moving on it after the latter “gently” asked for it. </p><p><em> "No hands allowed” </em> the creature said after placing one of his legs over Seonghwa’s shoulder, his calf lazily hanging on his back and his thigh pressed on his cheek while he let the novelist adjust to make the <em> blowjob experience </em> perfect. Hongjoong loved to see how Seonghwa struggled to keep track with his hips thrusting up in his mouth every now and then – since he couldn’t use his hands to keep him steady –, when Hongjoong just wanted to hear and see him gag along with the little tears forming at the corner of his eyes due the fatigue. </p><p>To prevent the use of his hands, however, Hongjoong took out a short rope from the basket with the blueberries and used it to tie both of them behind his back. And, oh, if he didn’t regret at all that action, having once again Seonghwa powerless at his feet as he worked his mouth to make him feel good. </p><p>Hongjoong let out a little whimper when Seonghwa went deeper and stilled some more time before slowly pull out and stop with his lips right on his head, his tongue brushing the nerves under it making the other one bite his lips as his dick twitched. </p><p>Nonetheless, Seonghwa took that situation really as a challenge. Yes, he really was quick at submitting when the prize was his beloved knowledge over magic, yet he still wanted to make that guy cry for him at the end of the journey; he wanted to see Hongjoong ask- no, beg for him to do those kinds of things to him. When that would happen, Seonghwa could consider his revenge taken for their first bold meeting. On the other hand, his mind kept telling him it was all just a product of his imagination, but the way the grip of Hongjoong’s hand in his hair started to hurt commanded the opposite. </p><p>Before Seonghwa could leave a lascivious lap on his cock, Hongjoong pulled his head up, bringing his body with it after freeing it from the grip of his leg. Seonghwa let out a pant before meeting Hongjoong’s lips, ravenous kissing him and biting down – Hongjoong could taste himself in Seonghwa’s mouth and that felt kind of hot – in advance of the rough push that followed and made him fall back between his legs again, the angry length in front of his eyes twitched but Hongjoong brought his fingers to grab it before he could be back at work.  </p><p>Seonghwa felt his chin being lifted with the latter’s free hand, finally meeting his dark lidded eyes that blinked mischievous anticipating Hongjoong’s words. </p><p>“That’s enough, sweetie, now just watch.” </p><p>And, again, Seonghwa felt the weight of Hongjoong’s leg drop on his shoulder while the hand wrapped around his dick started working. One more time, he was forced to watch and not touch as Hongjoong slowly brought himself to the climax, Seonghwa’s length twitched in his pyjama pants when the other hand under his chin moved over his lips, caressing them with his thumb. He parted them, letting the thumb slide in and sucked over it, Hongjoong let out a naughty moan in response. </p><p>Those little crumbs of Hongjoong dominant side falling for a moment when Seonghwa did something that aroused him a little bit over the bar – that time, the way he sucked over his finger as he was stimulating himself – were the reasons why Seonghwa thought he’d could enjoy all of that and accomplish his mission. </p><p>At the end, that would’ve been a win-win situation for both of them. </p><p>Hongjoong’s hand left Seonghwa’s face, a thin trail of spit connected his thumb and the mouth it rested in in the previous seconds before crushing over the latter’s chin. The novelist eyes travelled from Hongjoong’s face to his chest, observing the way it moved along with his breath, following the lines tattooed all over it – the multitude of runes drawn on his skin really were endearing –, driving his gaze down on his pelvis, stopping right on the tiny fingers stroking up and down, pumping energetic on the length twitching at some spans from his face. </p><p>Seonghwa swallowed as he felt the knot in his stomach build up at the view, sighing at the thought of coming untouched just thanks to it. Hongjoong, meanwhile, took one of the berries that were laying all around them – the basket in which they were roughly fell off the bed when Seonghwa tried to pin Hongjoong on it, making the berries roll all over the bedsheets – and brought it to his mouth, holding it with his teeth before going for Seonghwa’s face again, scratching at his chin and inviting him over. </p><p>Seonghwa quickly understood and rose, his hands tied behind his back started to bug him pretty much as he wanted to grab Hongjoong by his legs and spread him open after all the teasing. Yet, he succumbed once again to him and leaned in to kiss his lips while the latter pushed the berries in their mouths, mixing the sweet flavour of it in that sloppy kiss. His hand stopped stroking his own dick and, as they kept kissing with blueberry juice dripping on the corner of their lips, searched for the waistband of Seonghwa’s pants to pull them down. </p><p>Briefly after, the kiss interrupted and Hongjoong pulled away biting Seonghwa’s lower lip hard enough to make it bleed, Seonghwa moaned.  </p><p>“I won’t free your hands but I very much would like to see how you could handle fucking me in this position with them tied on your back.” </p><p>Hongjoong whispered, his voice low and hot before he pushed Seonghwa in for another kiss as he freed his length from the underwear.  </p><p>In those two times they had the chance to mate, Seonghwa noticed something from Hongjoong’s kisses and touches: being them passionate and lustful, not a single emotion escaped from them. Seonghwa realised how his kisses were dethatched nonetheless being so deep and famished. It looked like Hongjoong had created a barrier that kept all of his emotions – except for the horniness – away from him; Seonghwa wondered what kind of mechanism was behind it, but it was probably just a normal thing for Hongjoong. </p><p>In the end, they just became fuckbuddies. </p><p>Seonghwa let his gaze sink into Hongjoong’s eyes, searching for some answer to his request, yet he only found pure lust. So, he bit back on the latter’s lips – Hongjoong chuckled darkly – and sprawled both of his legs with his knees, making Hongjoong look extremely little and defenceless under the whole shadow of his body. Only when Seonghwa did that, he noticed something that sent his eyes wide and his mouth drop: Hongjoong had been wearing a butt plug for the whole time, a pretty silver one with a rose engraved on it that kindly peeked between his butt cheeks. He wondered where a creature of the woods had the audacity to find that. </p><p>Seonghwa darted his eyes back up over Hongjoong’s face, finding a teasing smile on it, his fangs peeking and grabbing his lower lip. </p><p>“Surprise.” </p><p>He chirped, his hands crawling up over Seonghwa’s – still – clothed torso, caressing his neck before coming to pinch his cheeks. </p><p>Well, yes, he was indeed surprised by it. </p><p>“Where did you...” </p><p>“Have you forgotten I own a shop in the town? Do you think I stay all of my time in the woods?” </p><p>“...fair. But how am I gon- “ </p><p>And before Seonghwa could finish his sentence, Hongjoong took the plug out of his hole, making a low moan that awakened everything into Seonghwa. Everything.  </p><p>With that, Hongjoong grabbed Seonghwa’s hips with his legs and helped him align their bodies; he also grabbed – not so gently – Seonghwa's length and brought it to his ass, brushing it against his entrance, leading both of them to almost sigh at unison at the craved touch. </p><p>They exchanged a look, their eyes locked and they kind of lost themselves a little before Hongjoong stuck out his tongue, biting it with his teeth when Seonghwa finally sunk into his body making his insides hug his dick. He pushed slowly, going into the first ring easily as he enjoyed the twitch into Hongjoong’s expression that slowly turned into a mess; Hongjoong, meanwhile, let his hands rest over his shoulders to support Seonghwa’s body while he bottomed up. He was a monster, yes, but not <em> that </em>of a monster, so he decided to help him a little before letting his shoulder go and receive Seonghwa’s head on his shoulder as he pushed with his forehead on it to have some support when his hips finally met Hongjoong’s one, sinking in completely.  </p><p>In the process, Hongjoong let his back rest on the bed and Seonghwa simply pushed over him, so he was sprawled over Hongjoong with his dick in his ass and his hands tied behind his back, the smaller one’s of the latter palming his torso and finding their place around his waist. </p><p>“Ah-...that’s it...so good.” </p><p>Hongjoong moaned right into Seonghwa’s ear and he guaranteed himself the latter clearly heard the crack in his voice when he slowly pulled back to give the first push. </p><p>And no matter how Seonghwa struggled to keep an acceptable pace for the act, Hongjoong never dared to free his hands, waiting for his climax to come as he cried into his ears and placed lustful laps and bites on the ear he could reach from there. Sometimes he lowered his head a little to kiss and suck over Seonghwa’s neck, little red petals blowing here and there in the process. </p><p>Hongjoong came with a deep thrust Seonghwa was able to place right over his sensible spot, letting his cum strain both his chest and Seonghwa’s shirt. The latter needed some more pushes, but the bites Hongjoong placed over his neck quickened his climax too. </p><p>Both of them were breathing heavily, Seonghwa rested his cheek over Hongjoong’s naked shoulder and let his eyes travel to the bedsheets – stained with the blueberries’ juice – and over the butt plug laying over Hongjoong’s black fur under their bodies. The other one simply attached his eyes to the ceiling until his breath become steady. </p><p>“Pull out.” </p><p>He ordered after poking Seonghwa on his side, the other obeyed and sat on his heels after doing it, enjoying the view of a defenceless Hongjoong that he wasn’t able to witness at their first meeting. </p><p>“Could you free my hands now?” </p><p>Seonghwa gently asked, his breath still a little shaky when Hongjoong rose on his elbows and looked at his face: only in that moment, Seonghwa realised that the fur he wore was still hugging his arms, even after everything that just happened. </p><p>“Beg me.” </p><p>Hongjoong said, the corner of his lips going up foxy as his hand reached for another blueberry that disappeared in his mouth a second after. Seonghwa huffed, rolled his eyes up and enclosed with his face just to repeat himself in the kindest yet more desperate tone he could get. </p><p>“Please, Hongjoong, free my hands. I beg you.” </p><p>The creature laughed at that and pushed Seonghwa back with a hand, he followed him and he was now almost sitting between his legs as he traced a path – with his index finger – from his chest to his face, pinching at his cheek. </p><p>“Later, now it’s time for a lesson.” </p><p>Seonghwa rose a brow and Hongjoong started to search in a pocket that was sewed into the fur, taking out the pink coral vial he brought with himself from the woods. He swinged it in front of Seonghwa’s eyes, then proceeded to talk. </p><p>“What do you think this is?” </p><p>The novelist blinked, his eyes following the calming movement of the liquid inside the vial before answering. </p><p>“Some kid of essential oil? An infuse? A poison? A... potion?” </p><p>Hongjoong smiled, his fingers gingerly playing with the small vial in his hands, tapping on the glass making it tingle a little in the darkness of the room – to which, their eyes, were used to. </p><p>“The answer is between those three submissions but I won’t tell you which one it is. So, this is your task for this week.” </p><p>He said, bringing himself to untie Seonghwa’s hands before continuing his discourse. Seonghwa smiled a little when he could finally saw his hands again, caressing the mark the rope made on his wrists lightly. </p><p>“One of the ingredients is rose. You have one week to understand what a rose could be used for in magic...” Hongjoong said, going to sit comfortably to the corner of the bed; Seonghwa turned to him facing nothing but his back and a portion of his face, his sharp features still recognizable even in the dark “...the only hint I could give to you is: nothing is as it is meant to be.” </p><p>“Wait a minute, what does th-”  </p><p>And before Seonghwa could even finish, he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head that made him collapse between the few blueberries remaining on his bedsheets. </p><p> </p><p>─────────────── </p><p> </p><p>When bird singed in the morning, Seonghwa was already sitting at his desk with a little coral vial in his hands and a handwritten message right in front of him.  </p><p> </p><p><em> Remember, you have one week. Nothing is as it is meant to be. </em> </p><p><em> -HJ. </em> </p><p> </p><p>Written elegantly but with a sort of roughness, the message represented just a token of what the mission given to him was, a little rose stood out, quickly drawn at the corner of the scrap of paper used for that reminder. </p><p>He sighed, letting his finger outline the simple shape of the vial in his hands, the two eyes of his never leaving the shine some rays from the window brought to the glass. Seonghwa didn’t dare at opening it, the hazard of being – somehow – spelled by the scent of the liquid too risky for him to even consider it. He knew what magic was only in fantasy books and imagination, who knew how many of that could be real and how many of that was just a faux. </p><p>It charmed him the way that fluid seemed smoother than any kind of infuse or oil he could recall, as he observed it swing in the vial lightly shaken in his hands. And with the little waves crushing on the glass, Seonghwa realised how what he experienced in the last two days was nonetheless than reality. Not a dream, not an illusion, the creature from the woods everyone in the town very much talked about was very much real and Seonghwa had the fortuitous opportunity not only to survive his attack but to kind of build a <em> relationship </em>with him. </p><p>Hongjoong. That was his name, that was the name of the creature that peacefully lived his life in those woods and among the citizens without them noticing. That was the name of the guy that charmed Seonghwa’s attention and brought him into that absurd situation. </p><p>He sighed, placing the vial gently on the desk, making the back of it cling against the little lamp that touched it; right after, he rolled both of his arms on it using them as a pillow where his face came to rest, both of his eyes staring at the vial through his glasses. </p><p>Rose. That was the only ingredient he knew along with the fact that <em> nothing is as it is meant to be. </em> </p><p>Seonghwa closed hie eyes and scoffed, letting out a throaty grunt as he tried to recollect any thought he could connect to those hints. Maybe making himself a big mug of coffee – with, as always, a load of milk and sugar – would have helped him get through it. </p><p>So, he rose, bringing his feet to the kitchen where he managed to get himself a snack too – some macarons he bought at the supermarket the day before, some industrial ones – before walking back to the living room and then his room. </p><p>As he stepped in the living room, he glanced to the purple orchid facing the sun coming in through the big window. The petals of its looked velvety at eye as much as they were at touch, and the pretty faded brown pot it was in really matched with the interiors; Seonghwa wondered how Hongjoong managed to give him a pot that fitted so well with the house if he never saw it before the previous night. </p><p>“Magic” he said to himself as he sat down to the desk drinking his caffe-latte. </p><p>He took the scrap of paper with his hands and lightly caressed it with his thumb, almost shaping the letters with it before a flash occurred in his mind right when his thumb caressed the rose drawing. </p><p>Seonghwa placed the mug on the desk and stepped to the paper bag with the books he bought the previous day – not having removed from it yet – and took out a specific one with a single precise action. </p><p>The gold-printed letters on the spine of the book shined with the movement that exposed them to the light of the sun and the ones on the front did the same, contrasting with the burgundy colour of the cover bounded with a thin layer of textured fabric. All over it, engravings of different flowers in a deep purple decorated the book, making it look pricey and luxurious. If it wasn’t that Seonghwa bought it for a reasonable price and it was just a really pretty book on flower languages and usage that he glanced at as he passed the botanic section of the bookshop. </p><p>He sat back in place, letting his finger flick the pages until he reached the index and searched for the chapter he was interested in. He flicked the pages again, letting them fan a tiny amount of wind to his face before he stopped on the section with an enormous number of botanical drawings depicting roses. </p><p>Seonghwa never used to care much about flower language in his stories, but having a tiny bit of knowledge in everything was something he yearned to; so, it wasn’t surprising to him the situation in which he ended up with owning a book like that one. And he was almost thankful to yesterday’s Seonghwa for buying it. </p><p>Scanning quickly among the lines, Seonghwa read most of the information about roses, their blooming period, the amount of water they needed and the zone they grew much – he now knew that Nalles, a town in Italy, was known as the land of Roses –; he needed exactly one minute and thirty seconds to find the paragraph with what he needed. </p><p>Entitled with bold characters, the text proceeded to explain the multitude of meanings behind the marvellous flower the rose was. It was the flower of love for excellence, the flower of passion and desire, its characteristic red colour the one every person would assign to given flower. Yet, what most of the people didn’t know, was how changing its colour meant a different thing: white meant chastity – which leads to white roses used in wedding bouquets -, pink meant gratitude and sympathy, orange meant success. And last, but not least, the colour that brought his attention out the most was yellow: it meant jealousy but also friendship, and the duality of its tingled Seonghwa’s senses along with the hint he had been given by Hongjoong. </p><p>And he was a hundred percent sure the rose used in the content of the vial was a yellow one, being it the only colour with such a dual meaning that could be misunderstood so easily. </p><p>Seonghwa thought he had the upper hand for a second, if it wasn’t for the pink colour of the liquid in it and the realisation that other flowers and ingredients could be mixed in it. </p><p>But he had a book with everything – or almost – he needed in it for his task and a week of time starting from that morning on. </p><p> </p><p>─────────────── </p><p> </p><p>“Mingi, could you please pass me the second box on that shelf?” </p><p>Hongjoong gestured to one of his shelves, filled with boxes and jars of anything. Petals, roots, leaves, berries, rocks, gems, bones and many more, magic took lots of ingredients to be done but what Hongjoong was aiming for at the moment was a box with some medicinal herbs in it as he took out a little mortar and some spring water bottled up in a fine factored bottle. </p><p>“This one?”  </p><p>Mingi answered, bringing the square box to Hongjoong that gently grabbed it and thanked the latter with a smile. </p><p>“Let me see the wound better.” </p><p>The taller boy lowered the high-waisted pants he used to wear to show a big scratch on his back to Hongjoong, the wound reaching his coccyx and bleeding a little bit as Hongjoong scanned it and searched for the right herbs. When he got them, he placed the leaves in the mortar and started to crush them together while adding a little quantity of water that helped the ointment being born. </p><p>“How many times do I have to remind you to never show your back to the wolves when you’re feeding one of them...it’s the second time this month, Mingi.” </p><p>Yeosang sighed, his hands gently tapping the wound with a clean cloth as he removed any sign of dirt before Hongjoong could apply the ointment on it. Mingi squinted an eye and hissed at the itching sensation when the medication started. </p><p>“I know Sangie, I know...I’ll be careful the next time.” </p><p>“You always say that, but look at you now...” Hongjoong rebuked, pressing his hands on the wound a little bit more to hear a cry from Mingi “...another big ass wound that would take a week or more to heal.” </p><p>“It would take less than a week with your <em> amazing </em> magic medical herbs, Joongie.” </p><p>Mingi said, emphasising his words to charm Hongjoong that just smiled at him and shook his head in resignation when the wound was completely covered by the mixture. </p><p>“Yeah yeah...flatterer.” </p><p>Yeosang smiled at both of them before bandaging up Mingi’s body, his hands working quick and steady as he did that for many times by now – and he probably did. </p><p>“So, tell us Hongjoong...” he started while securing the bandages up “...how do you think your human pet will understand what did you give to him?” </p><p><em> Human pet. </em> Yes, that name suited Seonghwa pretty much. </p><p>Hongjoong started to clean the mortar as he sat on the table, legs crossing and one of his feet bouncing while his hands worked. With a click of his tongue, he started talking. </p><p>“He probably believes it’s a potion, I’m pretty sure. I’ve given him two hints but he has to work it out before finding the liquid in that vial is not a potion...but a poison.” </p><p>He placed the mortar next to him, glancing back to Yeosang and Mingi that were, by the time, looking at him: both of them with curious eyes, but just one pair of them with some dark undertones. </p><p>“Do you think he’ll try to use it?”  </p><p>Mingi asked, his hands going to the hems of his pants to put them in place again. Hongjoong swinged one of his legs, his hands tapping on the borders of the table as he stayed sat. </p><p>“He’s not that stupid, he’ll probably never open it either. He’s not cautious, indeed, but not stupid.” </p><p>“Well, he firmed a contract with you. I think he <em> is </em> a little stupid.” </p><p>Yeosang said as he patted Mingi on the back to gesture him the rattan couch he prepared for him – some soft pillows covering the rest – and waited for him to sit down before sitting over his lap. Mingi let him, circling the waist of his friend with arms before resting his face on the other’s shoulder. </p><p>Hongjoong glanced at them and waited for the duo to be relaxed on the couch before carrying on with the discourse. </p><p>“He either is a little stupid or I am too convincing and charming.” </p><p>The boy said as he pouted to Yeosang while briefly glancing to his nails after he brought his hand up and did a show of drama. </p><p>Yeosang scoffed, Mingi followed him with a cute chuckle and both of them brought full attention to Hongjoong that looked at them as they were two little kids. </p><p>“What. I’m serious.” </p><p>He said, his tone definitely not so serious before smiling with a corner of his lips and jumping down from the table. </p><p>“Anyway, I really wonder how will he find out what the other ingredients are and how the poison works...if he will. If he doesn’t, I’ll show him.” </p><p>And that creepy unsettling smile that characterised his appearance when he was around humans made its arrival, painting the rosy lips of his with a scaring grin.  </p><p>Yeosang almost copied his expression, Mingi seemed too confused to understand what was going on. </p><p>“You’re not really gonna use that poison on him...” </p><p>The creature sitting on Mingi asked, his gaze full of anticipation as he met the latter’s one. Hongjoong made his lashes flutter in the air, then did a little spin before placing his hands on his face, cupping his own cheeks and making a cute expression to Yeosang. </p><p>“I don’t know Sangie, am I?” </p><p>He said with a sugary coated tone that made Yeosang cringe and Mingi laugh. Briefly after, his expression went dark again, his hands went to rest on his hips tapping on it as he spoke to the two of his companions. </p><p>“It won’t kill him, I’ll bring the antidote with me...but it’s gonna be fun. I wonder which hallucinations will he get from it. I’ll make him describe them all as I observe.” </p><p>Yeosang met his eyes again, stayed silent a little and then commented dry. </p><p>“You’re cruel, he’ll never get the last ingredient of that thing. You did it on purpose.” </p><p>And without answering, Hongjoong simply smiled and went to put the mortar and the square box back on the shelf. </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This chapter was a little bit shorter than the previous one but I hope you still enjoyed it!<br/>I had the chance to slide in with my flower knowledge and I took it, eheh<br/>Thanks for everyone that waited for it, see you at the next slow update!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Blazing Memories</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi! Sorry if I made you wait this much for this chapter. I've been over it from such long time and I'm not really satisfied about it, but I decided to go with the "better finished than perfect" rule, so here it is!<br/>Excuse any eventual typo or grammar error, I really didn't want to look at it again as I felt I'd change again lots of things ahah<br/>Thank you very much if you waited, enjoy!</p><p>TW: mention of death - poison use - hallucinations</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bad <span>choices </span><span>don’t</span><span> always manifest their </span><span>consequences </span><span>immediately</span><span>, some of them need time to do so, even if it is a little amount of it; so, when</span><span> Seonghwa started to describe his </span><span>hallucinations, </span><span>Hongjoong</span><span> was taken </span><span>aback and regretted everything. Every single decision that brought him to let Seonghwa drink a drop of his loved rose poison from that </span><span>vial –</span><span> that was nothing more th</span><span>an </span><span>shattered in pieces on the </span><span>floor </span><span>– </span><span>faded into the air.</span></p><p>
  <span>A full week passed since they properly met the last time, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> keeping up with his undercover life as a florist and Seonghwa doing his researches for the riddle he was left with. They had the chance to briefly face each other during the week, one just passing by the flower shop and Hongjoong briefly smiling at him through the windows in a way only he could do, making Seonghwa shiver reminding who that cheerful and kind appearance hid.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> had thought, during those days, what their strange relationship was becoming and he found himself thinking about Seonghwa way too much for his liking: wondering what was he doing, if he was studying for his stories, if he was doing his researches for the poison, if he was thinking about him as much as he did. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> even scolded him about not getting too into that boy – being Seonghwa a human – and remembered him </span>
  <em>
    <span>humans are not welcomed in the woods; </span>
  </em>
  <span>the other creature kept annoyingly asking why would he waste one of his precious antidotes over some random city boy just because he was having fun with him – “You can find any new victim equally nice” </span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> said –, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> simply shrugged every time replying “because I want too”, but he knew the feelings that were slowly placing their roots in his mind and heart were definitely unhealthy. At the end, he wanted Seonghwa to be under his spell and his spell only, he wanted to bathe into Seonghwa’s delightful reactions caused by his aura every time they stood near each other. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He wanted Seonghwa to be his trained puppy for that game of theirs.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And due so, it just needed to push Seonghwa a little bit into the action to let the game start after </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> smoothly explained him every ingredient of the </span>
  <span>vial</span>
  <span> while tracing circles all over his face, neck and lips with his fingers, feathery touches lulling him into the plan. That boy was fully under Hongjoong’s control when he let the poison touch his mouth, and he was – once again – totally conquered by that fierce creature of his as he let the sugary liquid descend in his body, burning his flesh with the bitter aftertaste.</span>
  
</p><p><span>Yellow roses, </span><span>belladonnas and </span><span>daphnes</span> <span>were three of the four elements used in th</span><span>e </span><span>mix</span><span>, the three ones that Seonghwa could</span><span> discover during his studies</span><span>. Yet, what made </span><span>Hongjoong</span><span> laugh was the way the desk of the poor writer – which dark circles made him wonder how much </span><span>did</span><span> he </span><span>sleep</span><span> after he gave him the task </span><span>–</span> <span>was filled with books over books of flowers, plants and even two little tomes about witchcraft; and yet, he </span><span>wasn’t</span><span> able to </span><span>identify</span><span> the last ingredient: some little </span><span>sprinkles of </span><span>stramonium </span><span>as the cherry on top to</span><span> the composition of that deadly, hallucinating poison.</span></p><p>
  <span>Stramonium, the plant of witches.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And, of course, thanks for </span>
  <span>both of them</span>
  <span>, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> had brought with him the antidote, but seemed unable to use it when he froze in place the second after Seonghwa started to brush his own body frantically while describing flames burning all over him.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>It had been fun in the first place, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> chuckled at the </span>
  <span>accurate</span>
  <span> descriptions – he personally </span>
  <span>requested</span>
  <span>, just to keep track with the effects of the poison – of the little creatures made of light jumping from the nightstand to the bed, almost recalling the wisps he and </span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> sometimes glimpsed around in the woods; Seonghwa was indeed good at story telling if he could make Hongjoong vividly imagine his hallucinations just with his words. But when the creatures became red flames and the flames started to burn the surroundings, making Seonghwa almost scream at the way too real sensations that trip was giving to him, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> wanted to disappear back in the woods and never have the chance to see him again.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Not because something Seonghwa did was wrong, but those hallucinations, the flames, the burning </span>
  <span>feeling</span>
  <span> Seonghwa meticulously described to </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> made the </span>
  <span>creature’s</span>
  <span> heart drop and his face go pale white as he watched Seonghwa slowly </span>
  <span>enclose death and</span>
  <span> madness</span>
  <span>, his body and mind wrenched by the poison</span>
  <span>.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span>... it’s... it’s burning. It hurts, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> do something.... it hurts...”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa managed to say after his head started to spin so harshly, he had to grab it, as it could make some difference. The novelist knew </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> had brought the antidote with him – the latter swinging the round shaped </span>
  <span>vial</span>
  <span> that held it in front of his face when he tried to convince Seonghwa into drinking the poison – and it was the final reason that led him to try the poison after all because </span>
  <em>
    <span>what could </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>possibly go</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> wrong; </span>
  </em>
  <span>yet, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> seemed dismayed at the way Seonghwa </span>
  <span>legitimately</span>
  <span> let his eyes reach for help.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa </span>
  <span>couldn’t</span>
  <span> understand, the creature </span>
  <span>didn’t</span>
  <span> even seem to enjoy the pain he was causing to him anymore. Hongjoong just stood there, absent, his eyes lost in some thought Seonghwa was unaware of.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The memories </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> vividly recalled created an illusion that neither the pink poison or a spell could compare.</span>
  
</p><p><span>A blazing image of a screaming body appeared, two scared eyes pointing at </span><span>Hongjoong</span><span>,</span> <span>piercing</span><span> his chest with multiple stabs as he held an</span> <span>imaginary </span><span>Mingi</span><span> with all his forces, </span><span>Yeosang</span><span> helping him at keeping their friend in place as the fourth of their original quartet was </span><span>slowly being</span><span> eaten by the flames.</span></p><p><span>Arson. That was what brought panic in their woods </span><span>many</span> <span>d</span><span>ays before. And it didn’t take only a part of the forest, some animals and plants with it, but also </span><span>Mingi’s</span><span> beloved one and </span><span>Hongjoong’s</span><span> and </span><span>Yeosang</span><span> “brother”.</span></p><p>
  <span>And </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> knew it </span>
  <span>couldn’t</span>
  <span> have been accidental, he knew it </span>
  <span>couldn’t</span>
  <span> have been one of them causing it, because he saw the way thousands of citizens threw torches in the woods in the middle of the night. And, as much as the good leader he had been for the four of them, the panic of losing those precious woods of his, the fear of losing his home and his family, prevailed; but he would never forgive himself what his confusion, given by the flames burning everything in front of his eyes, did.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>In the end, Yunho sacrificed himself for the woods and his friends, losing his life as he tried to keep the flames still with rituals and magic. And </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> would rather die instead of going again through something like that; </span>
  <span>he’d</span>
  <span> prefer his life taken away once, twice, </span>
  <span>trice</span>
  <span> more than seeing one of his dearests perish in front of his eyes. Even </span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> – the most cautious of them all – </span>
  <span>didn’t</span>
  <span> know what to do, he </span>
  <span>couldn’t</span>
  <span> break the shield Yunho casted above the three of them before leaving for the woods – none of them, in the end, knew how. The pain they felt that </span>
  <span>damned</span>
  <span> day had been hunting as a fiery beast hungry for blood.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>That was why no humans were allowed anymore in their forest, that was why </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> and </span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> created the legend of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>dark creature of the woods</span>
  </em>
  <span>: to protect themselves and to make sure Yunho’s sacrifice hadn't been vain. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Days, months, years passed from that incident, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> thought he was over it, but the way Seonghwa described the flames and acted just slapped the memory back again: and now he knew the exact </span>
  <span>sensations</span>
  <span> Yunho went through as Seonghwa let his perfect descriptions roll over him. He knew how he must have felt as the flames burned his skin, as the smoke filled his lungs, as the dust itched his eyes; and he didn’t want Seonghwa to feel anything of that any time any more.</span>
  
</p><p><span>Astonished, </span><span>Hongjoong</span><span> managed to jump back into reality with Yunho’s screaming voice still ringing in his ears </span><span>as</span><span> he enclosed with Seonghwa, his hands shaky </span><span>while guiding</span><span> the vial to his mouth a second </span><span>after he</span><span> started </span><span>coughing</span><span>. As</span><span> gently as he could, </span><span>Hongjoong</span><span> let the antidote slide down into the </span><span>other's</span> <span>mouth</span><span> before guiding him to rest on the bed. </span></p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa was breathing hard and it took him minutes before the hallucinations stopped, but he could feel </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> hand stroking his hair </span>
  <span>tenderly </span>
  <span>and checking his breath and pulse in the meantime.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>So he wasn’t that of a monster.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>When Seonghwa was a bit more lucid, he </span>
  <span>let</span>
  <span> his </span>
  <span>eyes slowly open</span>
  <span> and – as blurry as it could be – he </span>
  <span>could finally</span>
  <span> notice the panicked face of </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> along with his teary eyes. But he was too tired to ask anything, so he closed them again and let his body rest on the pillows.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Before falling asleep, he could hear </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> fading voice saying something.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Yunho...I’m so sorry...”</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>───────────────</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> violently slammed the door of their “house” open, the crash sound of it echoed as it hit the poor cabinet nearby and the insides of the tree almost trembled. After Seonghwa collapsed on the bed – and made sure he was sleeping peacefully –, Hongjoong swiftly came back to the woods, stumbling multiple times on rocks and roots, obtaining scratches and cuts on his legs and elbows as a gift. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The imaginary brought back to his poor lonely self in the novelist’s house had been enough to leave him shook, his mind stuck in the act of flashing pictures of Yunho’s burnt corpse behind his eyelids every time they closed. Coming back to their place became a harder task, doing something so simple felt like walking uphill with heavy rocks on his back; probably- no, quite certainly, just sweeping the problem under the carpet hadn’t been the best for him. He helped </span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> and </span>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span> go through it, yet he never reached for help himself and just kept hiding how much the situation hurt to not cause any more trouble to his two little “brothers”.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He instantly dropped to the rattan chair when close enough, his whole figure sunk in the pillows </span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> and </span>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span> left on it some days before – </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> had been too invested in the shop and some magical stuffs to put them back in place – almost mentally thanking them. As he let the soft fabrics embrace him, he glanced to the ceiling and kept his eyes open, following the drawing the veins on the wooden ceiling created above his head. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>If he tried to close his eyes, if he dared to cast some sleep for his poor self, his mind </span>
  <span>wouldn’t</span>
  <span> let the thing happen, as it showed him new images that only hurt the most. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>So, at the fifth failed attempt of falling asleep, he stood and disorderly walked to the shelf where he kept some boxes like the one that held the antidotes in. Inspecting it, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> let his hands quickly reach for a jar with some leaves in it, these lasts displaying their radiant yellow colour even with the dim lights of the night. He sighed opening the lid, a pungent smell came from the jar when one of the leaves was taken out before closing it again.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you having trouble sleeping again?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Mingi’s</span>
  <span> voice was </span>
  <span>raspy</span>
  <span> and his hand stroking his eyes just confirmed how </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> had woken him up with the door slam and his roaming through the living room, since he </span>
  <span>didn’t</span>
  <span> care to reach for the bedroom whatsoever.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Guilty, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> formed a thin line with his lips – pressing them hard enough to almost hurt – before putting the jar back on the shelf and turn to him. The vision of a swollen-faced </span>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span> appeared and </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> smiled a little, even if the bitter sensations he was feeling could be perceived at glance; he thanked the dim lights for the covering.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah...I just came back from Seonghwa, you know...we played with the poison today.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He said, his eyes avoidant as </span>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span> slowly enclosed with him, yawning.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, cool. How did it go?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> was quick at hiding the yellow leaf in the sleeve of the big fur he always carried around, keeping it away from the latter’s sight as he was close enough to finally see all the mixed feelings behind Hongjoong’s eyes. Mingi was quite observant, much to understand something</span>
  <span> wasn’</span>
  <span>t right, but he was also intelligent enough to know that pushing </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> into “confessing his crimes” wasn’t the best option, especially if it was 3AM and </span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> was having his “beauty sleep”. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Mmmmh</span>
  <span>... let's say fine, he had some nice hallucinations but not something worth the candle.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The creature shrugged, his shoulders quickly going up and down before finally meeting </span>
  <span>Mingi’s</span>
  <span> eyes. Even behind those two tiny cracks of his, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> knew he sensed something in his behaviour and instantly started to prepare himself for the confrontation.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I see...so you let him die?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Wha</span>
  <span>- no, I didn’t. I used the </span>
  <span>antido</span>
  <span>-”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“But that’s not something you’d normally do, </span>
  <span>Joong</span>
  <span>.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Caught and confused, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> searched for an explanation into </span>
  <span>Mingi’s</span>
  <span> sleepy face, the other one just kept his eyes half closed and watchful over him. After some seconds of silence, </span>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span> decided to speak up.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you, perhaps, getting attached to him, Joong? You know...you almost hesitate to use your antidotes for us but didn’t blink an eye for him. You left the house with the antidote already in your pockets... you willingly wanted to use it from the start of this game...”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> kept silence, </span>
  <span>Mingi’s</span>
  <span> words washed him like a cold storm.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“...</span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span>, weren’t you the one to say no humans were allowed in our lives?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Abruptly, the shorter creature spit out an answer as if he was hanging on a thin line from which his life was depended.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen, </span>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span>, I'm not getting attached here. I just found cute and funny how Seonghwa just lets me do everything I want after two or more sugar coated promises </span>
  <span>I’ll</span>
  <span> never keep. Letting die someone so funny to be with might be a shame. I’m just having fun, nothing more.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You called him by name” </span>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span>  commented, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> darted his eyes open </span>
  <span>“You</span>
  <span> never did that since you met him, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span>.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“T-that means nothing! I’m not getting attached to some...random dude from the city, for fuck’s sake </span>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span>! I... I just like to be around him and tease him? Is that wrong somehow? It’s not what you think, I didn’t use the antidote because I “liked him” or something like that... I-”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Then why did you use it?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> knew the question would come at some point, specifically because he knew how hard would’ve been for him to keep up a good cover, given his numb brain after all that happened, his heart still aching and his body just wanting to rest. Hence, he took a deep breath, let out a sigh and narrowed his eyes to </span>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span> that was, by then, very much awake and eager.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He hated to be </span>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span> the one awake, he hated to be </span>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span> the one that would witness his story and he – for the most – hated the upcoming flashbacks he would instil into </span>
  <span>Mingi’s</span>
  <span> mind only at the mention of Yunho’s name. Because he knew how much had it hurt for him.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He took a deep breath and motioned </span>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span> to the rattan chair. When the taller sat down, he started to explain.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Seong-...the human started to have pretty hallucinations in the first place, like wisps, creature of his imagination and such things. But then...” he bit the inside of his lips, his eyes finally met </span>
  <span>Mingi’s</span>
  <span> one “...the thing went out of hand. He...started to see and feel flames, burning sounds, the smell of ashes, dust in his eyes, his skin burning...and so I-”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You remembered about Yunho, did you?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Mingi’s</span>
  <span> voice wasn’t pained, not even cracked a tiny bit as he directly stared into </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> eyes, his hands rested peacefully on the edge of the chair as he waited for an answer. </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> looked away, sighed and fixated his eyes over one of his shelves; the realisation he was the only one still not over everything, hit him suddenly, a cold shower after midnight </span>
  <span>remorse</span>
  <span>. When he spoke, his voice was thin and insecure.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I asked him to describe me everything he saw or felt...and he obeyed, he described me everything and... witnessing what Yunho must have felt that day hadn’t been my greatest discover lately.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He moved his hands into the hair, gesturing to the unknown before palming his face in an attempt of hiding not only the way his eyes felt teary, but also that tormented soul of his. </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> felt vulnerable, naked as he spoke about it to </span>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span>, that just looked at him in compassion as he </span>
  <span>witnessed</span>
  <span> how much his friend had been hurting without them noticing.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span>...come here.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span> finally said, his voice loving and tender almost like a loving big brother, with the difference that the one which assumed said role was nothing more than </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span>, who wanted to feel small and disappear as he approached </span>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span> and sat near him silently, his big fur brushing on both their bodies remembering he still hadn’t changed in his sad attempt of hiding his emotions. He curled up towards the other, his little hands searched for a gentle spot to rest on and the yellow leaf carelessly slipped out of the sleeve, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> didn’t care if </span>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span> saw it and so he did. The bigger hands of the other boy hugged </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> closer, his chin rested between his whiteish locks and </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> finally felt home after the </span>
  <span>whole day</span>
  <span>.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“It had been a while since you needed to use linden leaves to gain some sleep, you promised you’ll stop using them on </span>
  <span>yourself</span>
  <span>...Joong...”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> stayed silent, his head </span>
  <span>didn’t</span>
  <span> fit perfect – like the fables would make you think – on </span>
  <span>Mingi’s</span>
  <span> shoulder, but it was comforting as he brushed his nose toward his neck, the warm sensation of his skin partially calming him.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen Joong, you can talk to me or to </span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> if you need to, you know? You can’t keep up with everything all alone.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I know...” he simply answered, his voice whiny as he snuggled to </span>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span> more “...I just need some more time to...open up about it, I think. And </span>
  <span>I’m</span>
  <span> sorry to say this to you, since you-”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Just because me and Yunho </span>
  <span>were</span>
  <span> lovers, doesn’t mean you have less right to suffer his lost, Joong. Just...talk to me, I don’t like seeing you suffer like this, especially if it is done without any of us </span>
  <span>acknowledging</span>
  <span>.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And with those words, said as </span>
  <span>Mingi’s</span>
  <span> big callouses hands stroked his face and hair, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> finally lifted his head showing a small and innocent smile. Even with his menacing appearance, even with the way he slaughtered people who approached the woods to protect his family, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> was just a tormented soul.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span> smiled back, enclosing with him to place a little peck over his forehead, then one on his nose and, in the end, one on his cheek. </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> closed his eyes briefly when the two last pecks came, when he opened them again, </span>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span> was staring directly into them.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“If you need help for your sleep, you can just ask me, you know? I’m </span>
  <span>pretty sure</span>
  <span> we both know a way to be tired enough to sleep straight to the morning.”</span>
  
</p><p><span>And with that, </span><span>Mingi’s</span><span> voice just took a slightly dark turn – even if it stayed gentle, </span><span>Mingi</span> <span>wasn’t</span><span> much of a “dark creature” as he believed to – that made Hongjoong’s inside turn. He and Yeosang w</span><span>ere, probably, </span><span>the only two </span><span>he could</span><span>n’t resist. And in that time, as he reminisced the thought, Seonghwa’s image briefly flashed in front of his eyes, but it needed a blink to drive it away.</span></p><p>
  <span>Smiling again after a little coo, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> simply let himself slide over </span>
  <span>Mingi’s</span>
  <span> lap, kissing his forehead lightly before their lips could met in a kiss.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The next day, </span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> woke up and, as he approached the living room, found </span>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span> and </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> wrapped in that big fur of his while sleeping peacefully on the </span>
  <span>rattan</span>
  <span> armchair.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>───────────────</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Five. Five was the number of calls Seonghwa needed before waking up with the biggest headache of his life, his limbs numb and his whole body hurting as if he fell asleep after a </span>
  <span>marathon</span>
  <span>. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Yawning and squinting his eyes, the novelist let his hand reach for the noisy phone on the nightstand, picking up the call that revealed to be a facetime one from San. When he answered, he could finally see his terrible face thanks to the camera: his hair standing in all directions, his dark circles horrible and his lips dry, not to mention the puffiness of his eyes and cheeks too.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Woah </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>woah</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> hello, someone hasn’t been sleeping well in here...and definitely isn’t me.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut up San...you woke me up.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa made a </span>
  <span>guttural</span>
  <span> sound as he stretched his back until it made a </span>
  <em>
    <span>crack </span>
  </em>
  <span>that released a pleasant sensation to his spine, San from the other side of the screen let out a laugh while sipping his smoothie. </span>
  <span>Wooyoung</span>
  <span> was nowhere to be heard or seen, San must have been out alone and decided to call Seonghwa in the meantime; he wondered how did that boy manage to have such a nice timing, the latter halfway through getting more sleep and closing the call right there and deciding to stand up and simply </span>
  <span>go make</span>
  <span> something to eat for...breakfast? He wondered what time it was.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Glancing to the digital clock on his phone, his eyes widened a bit as he saw the “13:43pm”. Well, </span>
  <span>definitely wasn’t</span>
  <span> breakfast time.</span>
  
</p><p><span>“</span><em><span>Whatcha</span></em> <em><span>doiiiiin</span></em><em><span>’?</span></em><span>”</span></p><p><span>San chanted with that childish tone of his he always used when happy or wanting to tease, his lips wrapped the straw of his pink smoothie right after it and Seonghwa almost had the need to vomit at the sight of the smoothie: </span><span>maybe it</span> <span>wasn’t</span><span> even time for eating, </span><span>he’d</span><span> just drink something. And by deciding so, he slowly stood out of the bed stepping onto something that made him hiss, it stinging his feet that Seonghwa </span><span>lifted up</span><span> to check. Some shattered pieces of glass were sticking to it – luckily, none of them hurt him – and his eyes swiftly went to the ground where he found the remains of the pink </span><span>vial</span><span> he treasured for a week.</span></p><p>
  <span>Sighing, he carefully made his way to the kitchen as he tried to recall for yesterday’s memories; meanwhile, San still awaited an answer with anticipating eyes.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to make myself something to drink, probably some americ-”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> nice nice...and what about your studies? Have you found something nice? Have you dreamt again about the florist as a dark creature?”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>San showered him with questions non-stop and Seonghwa </span>
  <span>couldn’t</span>
  <span> hold back a giggle while shaking his head. He was always so enthusiastic, yet he almost dropped the phone at the mention of the florist. San </span>
  <span>didn’t</span>
  <span> know about the real situation that was going on between him and </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span>, Seonghwa never talked about it again – even in the texts they exchanged – and was sure </span>
  <span>he’d</span>
  <span> consider him crazy if he did; so, sending down a limp of saliva, he rolled his eyes to the sky and back to San that kept smiling at him.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I didn’t...I’ve been too invested into finding some notions for my books and things about the legend of the woods that I haven’t had the chance to think about some cute florist boy from the town.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>So</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> he’s cute? You didn’t mention me he was cute!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p><span>Seonghwa’s face unconsciously brightened up a little: </span><span>Hongjoong</span> <span>couldn’t</span><span> be addressed as cute, not at all. He was scary – </span><span>and captivating</span><span>, Seonghwa would add – as hell in his true form, but when he played the part of the sheep instead of the wolf, he really looked cute with his fluffy white hair and his two large eyes, the little mole on his neck peeking under the white and black t-shirts he used to wear under that green apron of his – along with two big gloves – when he found him changing pots for the plants and rearranging them in the shop. </span></p><p><span>When he </span><span>wasn’t</span><span> the wolf, </span><span>Hongjoong</span> <span>definitely was</span> <span>really cute</span><span>.</span></p><p>
  <span>“I mean...yes? Kind of? But </span>
  <span>what’s</span>
  <span> the point of this? I </span>
  <span>haven’t</span>
  <span> talked to him since I bought the orchids and it would be freaking strange to do so since he randomly appeared in my dreams.”</span>
  
</p><p><span>He said trying to appear as convincing as possible, since he </span><span>couldn’t</span><span> confess that he and </span><span>Hongjoong</span> <span>frequently</span><span> had sexual intercourses and that </span><span>Hongjoong</span><span> almost murdered him not once, but twice. </span></p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Why don’t you ask him out?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>San said, his eyes narrowed and his expression foxy while watching Seonghwa almost throw the phone on the kitchen’s hob in an attempt of setting it still to have both his hands free to make the coffee.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Do...WHAT?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>I mean Seonghwa, you’re </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>gonna</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> be there for six months and he’s cute...as you said, but you’ll need to make me approve him if things become serious.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“SAN?!”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>WHAT? That’s nothing wrong Hwa...when was the last time you had fu-</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“ENOUGH.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>San let out a laugh so noisy he got scolded by one of the waiters of the café he was staying in for – what Seonghwa could certainly state – his lunch, his expression almost turning sheepish as he tried to hide the big smile that formed on his lips.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Deserved.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Said Seonghwa as he plumped some sweetener into his glass, followed by the metallic straw he used to mix everything together: coffee, water, </span>
  <span>sweetener</span>
  <span> and ice were blended with the giggly sound of San’s voice in the background.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Aaaah</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> Seonghwa, you’re so mean. Anyway...</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He started, Seonghwa moved his eyes to the phone as he picked up the class and stared: when San used that tone of voice, something was </span>
  <span>gonna</span>
  <span> happen and he already knew. </span>
  <span>Perks</span>
  <span> of being best friends.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Me and </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Wooyoung</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> want to go out for a vacation and decided to come to your place the next month...</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>aaaaaand</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>-</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Let me guess, you want to stay to my place?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Eheh</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>...yes. </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>That’s</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> it. Would you l</span>
  </em>
  <span>-”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Absolutely not.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa said dry before catching the straw between his teeth, San whined back and pouted.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>But! C’mon </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Hwaaaaa</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>...</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>we’ll</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> be good roommates, promised. </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>We're</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> also coming for you, be nice to us.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed, his friend staring at him through the phone making sweet eyes to him as he cutely clenched one of his fists that shoot out heart fingers when Seonghwa finally looked at him. San was still his best friend, after all, and Wooyoung one of his dearest, so he couldn’t really say no. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And, at the end, he missed them too even if it had only been a week.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok, fine. But now can I go back to my coffee and next a shower?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>YEEES! Thanks Hwa, </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>you’re</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> the best.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>By saying that, San smiled and sent a flying kiss to Seonghwa that just smiled back and waved his hand before closing the call after a brief goodbye.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa was glad to have someone like San in his life, even if he was surprisingly annoying sometimes and extremely loud – especially if pared with </span>
  <span>Wooyoung</span>
  <span> –, but he really cared him. They had been friend from years by then and Seonghwa couldn’t imagine his life without him anymore.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Placidly, he consumed the last drops of his americano before putting the glass into the sink and go for a shower. Passing by his room again, he stopped to the shards on the floor and hunched over them, taking one in his hand. Lifting it, the light coming from the outside hit it, making it shine and marking the dry </span>
  <span>droplets</span>
  <span> of poison staining it. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa tried to recall everything from the previous night – since San had kept his mind busy till the </span>
  <span>moment</span>
  <span> he opened his eyes – but most of the things felt like a foggy picture in the back of his brain. What he could recall, however, was the moment Hongjoong panicked face let him have the antidote as if he </span>
  <span>was</span>
  <span> the most important thing in his life, as if saving him was a matter of life and death. He also recalled a name, Yunho, but </span>
  <span>couldn’t</span>
  <span> remember much more of it. Probably, addressing </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> directly for it would have been the best solution.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He stood back, making some stretching and the promise of cleaning up that mess after his deserved forty minutes shower, in which he almost fell asleep again thanks to warm water.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>When everything was clean – he, his </span>
  <span>room</span>
  <span> and the glass in the kitchen –, Seonghwa grabbed his car keys and simply leaded out from the house. The air hit his face and he </span>
  <span>didn’t</span>
  <span> think of how much that sensation of cold imaginary fingers over his skin was needed to fully awaken him. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He opened the door of his car, sliding in peaceful even if his limbs and mind still hurt a little bit; his eyes went to the woods, to those mysterious woods that started everything, that twisted his life, and he thought if </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> was there, waiting for him to come in again someday. He pictured him sitting on a tree, one leg swinging serene in the air while his hands prickled a flower, doing a stupid “loves me, loves me not” game, changing the meaning to “kill him, kill him not” as he thought about him. </span>
  
</p><p><span>He felts shivers all over again, there </span><span>hadn’t</span><span> been a time where thinking about </span><span>Hongjoong</span> <span>didn’t</span><span> send him shivers. He felt them crawl up on his skin, he felt them scratch it lightly until it was just a ghost sensation. And most of everything, he loved those chills the thought of </span><span>Hongjoong</span><span> sent to his spine. It was sick, he knew, but </span><span>Hongjoong</span><span> was worth the game; even if he used him like a little pet, even if he started to train him as if he was his little puppy, </span><span>Hongjoong</span><span> was worth waiting the day </span><span>he’d</span><span> feel powerless under Seonghwa’s presence and not </span><span>vice versa</span><span>.</span></p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa’s mission </span>
  <span>hadn’t</span>
  <span> changed, he just ended up liking the pain and the anticipation </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> presence brought in his life. But he still wanted to take his revenge, sweet and cold.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>But it was </span>
  <span>almost afternoon</span>
  <span> and </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> had to be for sure to his shop – he never skipped a day, being such a hard worker even if he really </span>
  <span>didn’t</span>
  <span> need to, he </span>
  <span>probably made</span>
  <span> it his little space –, so he put his car on the street and drove to it. When he finally got close to the shop, he parked, walking the last meters until he let that bell on the shop’s door ring as he opened it. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>However, when he glanced to the figure behind the counter, his expression was baffled. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, can I help you?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The black-haired guy smiled, his slightly pointed fangs on display as his two hazel eyes stared back to Seonghwa. A shiny red leaf shaped gem dangled from his neck, resting on his black t-shirt and green apron.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Who was that guy? And were was Hongjoong?</span>
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Aaaand there it comes Yunho's appearence :D sorry if you waited for him and ended up being...like that ahahah, opsie<br/>See you to the next chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Marigolds and Daisies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Smut in the second part!<br/>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Hi, can I help </span>
  <span>you</span>
  <span>?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Serene and warm, the voice of the black-haired florist brushed Seonghwa’s ears that, however, didn’t enjoy it at all. Earing such a lower tone instead of the more vibrant one of Hongjoong – along with seeing a totally different man – wasn't something Seonghwa expected in that place, being it </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> little secret portal between the humans and his world, his woods. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Did </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> had more contacts with the human world besides his clients, the suppliers for his shop and him? Was he a friend of his? Was he one of Hongjoong’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>special </span>
  </em>
  <span>friends?</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa squinted his eyes a bit, trying to see things clear – failing at the attempt –, and the other guy simply kept smiling as he held some scissors and a couple of different flowers in his hands; his smile was wily, those perfect teeth and his big eyes hiding the true self behind those angelic looks. When Seonghwa lowered his gaze, curious, he found out the florist had been intertwining daisies and marigolds in a pretty crown, along with some golden ribbons and leaves; he led his eyes back to the other boy’s face, the scissors cutting the pistils of the flowers brought him back into the shop, among plants and the humid smell of them.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Uhm, yes. </span>
  <span>I’m</span>
  <span> searching for Hongjoong, is he here? I’m...a friend.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The latter let out a little “</span>
  <em>
    <span>oh</span>
  </em>
  <span>” widening his eyes and scissoring the air two times – the sound of the blades caressing each other the only thing filling the silence between them – before letting the tool lay on the counter, beside the flower crown that just needed some little final touches to be done.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>His two hazel eyes twinkled, finally sinking into Seonghwa’s black one, his gaze piercing in a way the novelist already had the pleasure to witness: he felt as if the other guy crawled inside his mind only with that simple glance. Seonghwa knew what that look meant and he, for sure, knew that that boy standing in front of him was definitely aware of </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> secret, if not part of it.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You must be Seonghwa, right? </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> had been blabbering about you for a whole week since the two of you met.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And yes, he definitely was one of his special friends. Thought, Seonghwa widened his eyes witnessing it, along with the fact that </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> liked – or at least, he thought he liked – talking about him to his </span>
  <em>
    <span>friends.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh? Really?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The black-haired guy smiled again, his little fangs doing an appearance. Seonghwa confused face was in full display.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, really. He really likes to play with you, you’re his little pet.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>His- what?</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“A-ah...I see. So, you're-”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“One of his special friends? Yes, no need to keep it a secret since you already know, right? No one would believe you if you started to yell about it around, anyway. Or </span>
  <span>hasn’t</span>
  <span> him told you about us yet? Ops.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He had a point and it was a fair one. No one would believe a city boy, that just moved in, telling around the </span>
  <span>adorable</span>
  <span> florists of the town are</span>
  <span>, in reality, the</span>
  <span> two fiery beasts of the woods.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>However, Seonghwa never thought of the possibility of someone else living with </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> in the woods; the thought of him being a solitary creature was fitting enough for his personality, knowing he had some friends – somehow – lifted Seonghwa’s heart. At least, he wasn’t alone.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Right. So, back to the question- ah, can I know your </span>
  <span>name...?</span>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Just call me Yeosang.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, Yeosang. Is he here? I have some things to ask.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> gently lifted his hands from the counter and started inserting some baby’s breath in the flower crown, making it appear richer.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmmh...he’s not here, he had things to do. Can I be the one answering your questions?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And as much Seonghwa liked to have all his doubts explained, Yeosang couldn’t be the one answering them. The way his body ached in the morning, the picture of </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> panicked face, the name “Yunho” felt all things supposed to be kept secret between him and </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span>; he also felt like </span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> could answer at least one of his questions, yet Seonghwa decided to shut and just shake his head a “no” before speaking.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Not at all, I’d preferer to speak directly to him. Do you know when I’ll be able to find him here?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, you don’t have to know.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa rose a brow, </span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> lifted the crown from the counter and placed it above the other’s head, balancing it and fixing some of his greyish locks under it. His touch was gentle, precise, elegant, but Seonghwa knew more than his life to not trust those sneaky creatures; he stayed silent, his breath steady as he let </span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> caress his hair and casually brush the cold tips of his fingers over his skin every time they untangled some locks away from the crown.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The necklace </span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> was wearing slouched mid-air when he pushed his body forward to Seonghwa, bending on the counter as much as he needed to make Seonghwa feel perplexed with the sudden closeness, accompanied by the same dark aura </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> had. Putting someone in discomfort was something common between them, he assumed.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> touched briefly Seonghwa’s lips with one of his fingers after fixing his hair, letting the other one jump back. He smiled, shabby, then spoke</span>
  <span>.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s going to visit you tonight </span>
  <span>too;</span>
  <span> you better prepare yourself because he’s not in peace at all. Best of your luck.”    </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I- I see. Thanks for letting me know. Goodbye.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And with that – his voice dry –, Seonghwa </span>
  <span>definitely parted</span>
  <span> from the counter, almost dashing to the door that let the bell on it </span>
  <span>jingle</span>
  <span> twice when he opened and closed it. His feet were fast on the street as he reached for his car.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Meanwhile, </span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> in the shop crossed his arms as he watched him go away.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span>, you really hit the jackpot with this human. </span>
  <span>He’s</span>
  <span> really an obedient one as you s</span>
  <span>aid,</span>
  <span> I’m almost envious. He even searched up for you after you almost killed him yesterday night for the second time...this is so sick, I love it.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Said to himself, but the door opened another time and an old lady came in with her little nephew. So, Yeosang and his angelic smile were ready to fake another day as the nice helper of the town’s florist.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>───────────────</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You better prepare yourself because he’s not in peace at all.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa recalled </span>
  <span>Yeosang's</span>
  <span> words as he flicked his hands between his hair, the bathroom’s mirror in front of him reflecting the face of his jittery self, thinking what the </span>
  <em>
    <span>not in peace</span>
  </em>
  <span> part meant. He could bet to be able to address the uneasiness – the anger? –  </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> might bring with him that night to the previous day episode; summing up the hints he had wasn’t a hard task, especially after he had been summing things in the latest seven days.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>A marigolds and daisies crown </span>
  <span>was</span>
  <span> laying on his nightstand. Seonghwa didn’t realise he just sprinted from the flower shop to his house, earlier, wearing that little accessory for the whole ride until he opened the car door and bumped with it on the roof as he was leading out. The flower crown just flipped down, laying on the seat, bringing with it some of his hair that pulled enough to make him turn and see it; and it was too pretty to trash it away, so Seonghwa just put it over his nightstand when he went back to his room to change in some more comfortable clothes.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He passed the rest of the day rearranging some notes, cleaning spots of the house and cooking: the thought of </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> coming in the night pestered his mind like bees do with flowers during pollinations. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He found himself wanting to know more about </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span>: not only his magic, nor the rituals or the potions, he wanted to study </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span>. He had become, in a week with only few touches, his strange addiction.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And Seonghwa was once again brushing his hand through his hair when he felt a cold breeze caressing his ankles, sign that something had been opened and left as it was.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Hongjoong?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He called, his voice not scared anymore when he started searching for the boy outside of the bathroom, finding him standing in front of the nightstand and plucking at the nice flower crown, now going destroyed.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> turned, showing his mischievous smile to Seonghwa, who just enclosed with him, brought near by a strange force that let his body move alone.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi little boy, how are we feeling today?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Said the creature, which hands swiftly moved to Seonghwa’s torso, caressing it lightly until they reached his neck, where they brushed tickling. Seonghwa felt something move in his stomach just by that, finding himself yearning more of his touch, more of </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span>, more of his story.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He let him move his hands around, when the two of them rested on his shoulders, Seonghwa decided to answer.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok, I think.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> told me you have some questions for me. Too bad you had to meet him before I could introduce you two...and to think that I planned it so well, we would have had soooo much fun.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Not wanting to think about what </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> ever planned for the three of them for their first encounter – recalling </span>
  <em>
    <span>their</span>
  </em>
  <span> first encounter, he genuinely was scared of any idea that could come out from his mind –, Seonghwa swallowed a bit, then answered.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I have questions about yesterday night.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>As an involuntary reflex, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> dipped his nails into Seonghwa’s clothed flesh and the latter gulped at the act, understanding what the “not in peace” was referred too. Well, he had to expect it, but his sharp nails sinking into his shirt at just the mention of it, weren’t really reassuring.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> simply said, a thin line of annoyance in his voice as he slowly pushed Seonghwa back to his bed.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t remember much of what happened, I guess it must have been not such a nice experience but...I do remember your panicked face and the name Yunho. Would it be ok if you clarified what those two things </span>
  <span>together</span>
  <span> meant?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa didn’t want to stay so submissive anymore, so he – being still cautious, thought – let his hands reach for </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> waist, squeezing in above the black fur he decided to wear that night. The softness of it under his fingers was pleasant, not as pleasant as the dark turn </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> gaze did. Keeping his hands above his shoulder, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> pushed Seonghwa to sit on the bed, putting himself between his legs as he let his fingers trail a line to the latter’s face; his nails scratched lightly Seonghwa’s skin as if they were sharp tools carving into it, but the force applied was too weak to cause pain: the thing Seonghwa felt was no less then shivers being sent down to his spine.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The novelist let out a sigh when, abruptly, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> grabbed tight his chin: with that grip, their eyes couldn’t escape confrontation and Seonghwa felt as he was the one being under interrogation. </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> scoffed, lowering his face and allowing his breath to crush over Seonghwa’s lips, his voice came out sharp and emotionless.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You forgot about everything but not what you had to, I guess this is a tragic turn for me.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa held his breath, the villainous charm </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> carried filled not only the air, but also his mind, as he let the other one do everything he wanted once again. Although, Seonghwa kept his hands over </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> waist and the latter didn’t seem to complain.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry to hear that, Hongjoong. But things don’t always go as planned.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He managed to say, a thriving and unknown courage building between every pause he took from one word to another. And to top his affirmation, Seonghwa just brought </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> even closer to his body, squeezing his hands once again but still keeping an eye on him, for his safety.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span>, hence, giggled sinister, dipping down once again to let his forehead and Seonghwa’s one touch, the coldness of his skin contrasted with the warmer one of the </span>
  <span>novelist</span>
  <span>. He gripped Seonghwa’s chin even more, pressing in with his thumb nail that formed a little crescent under it. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Oooh</span>
  <span> ...someone is up to playing tonight. We love to see some spirit of enterprise from such a weak creature of yours.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> voice got gloomier the more he talked and Seonghwa felt sick for his incapacity at backing up to that; but he, indeed, wanted to strip off that mischievous façade of his. He had seen the way Hongjoong felt something toward him the previous night – be it pity, be it genuine affection or everything else that thing painting his face with panic had been – and he couldn’t let the explanation for it escape his hands like sand in the wind: he needed to see that fragile </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> again, he needed to know why.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa smiled, drawing a corner of his lips up in a cocky way, and tilted his head to one side keeping his eyes into the piercing exchange of glares the two of them were doing.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not that submissive </span>
  <em>
    <span>pet</span>
  </em>
  <span> you do think that I am.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> lips parted for a second in amusement, going back into a grin briefly after.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> told you about your nickname? Aw man, that boy has to pay me lots after today.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He scoffed, letting his breath itch Seonghwa’s lips once again.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <span>Let’s</span>
  <span> do a game: I’ll give you the chance to be in charge tonight. If </span>
  <span>you’ll</span>
  <span> be able to let </span>
  <span>me</span>
  <span> call for your name, I’ll answer your questions.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> was full of himself as he stated that, he believed Seonghwa wasn’t – by any given chance – able to do so, because he experienced everything in his life and not a single soul – given exception for </span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> or </span>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span> when they were </span>
  <em>
    <span>happy</span>
  </em>
  <span> enough to play all together – had been able to; but Seonghwa was filled with new life at the glimpse of winning and definitely couldn’t miss the chance.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Humming, the novelist narrowed his eyes as he let his hands reach for the hem of </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> fur before crawling inside, surprisingly – but not at all – finding direct contact with his skin when he placed his palms on his waist again. Brushing with his fingers, however, Seonghwa met the hem of his pants, stating he wasn’t totally naked under it in the same way he presented himself the time before the “potion thing”.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Challange accepted.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He simply said, receiving a sly look from the other one that finally dipped down for a kiss, yearning for Seonghwa’s lips as he bit and sucked them letting the latter run his hands on his body. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>So, it had started, that war of dominance.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa let his fingers trace little ticklish circles above </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> cool body, feeling his skin warming touch after the touches as he reached for his back, placing his hands on its base while he kissed feverish his lips. </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> let out a moany breath when Seonghwa squeezed his lower lip between his teeth, pulling it briefly before letting go.  With a swift movement, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> let his fur fall back on the ground, showing his fair </span>
  <span>tattooed</span>
  <span> skin which Seonghwa wanted to mark and let it bloom red.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Pushing a little, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> brough his whole body over Seonghwa, climbing above his lap and pressing on him, their crotch touching without grace as he stole another greedy kiss from the novelist’s lips. Panting – </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> didn’t let him have the chance to breath, being famine as the notorious imaginary of the beast he had created around his figure –, Seonghwa traced Hongjoong’s side before reaching for his butt, grabbing it tight and receiving a little whine in response; pulling away from the kiss, Seonghwa aimed for Hongjoong’s neck, kissing it lightly and without rush, placing down every kiss in a meticulous and slow way that made Hongjoong tilt his head in approval. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span>  let Seonghwa explore his places, kissing his neck feathery before his lips could start being needy and suck at it. When the first bite came, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> felt it even more after all the little pecks he had been showered in, and the laps Seonghwa placed down after every bite just helped his skin blemish with crimson spots. After some minutes, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> found himself grinding over Seonghwa’s thigh, one of Seonghwa’s hands moving from his ass to his nipple, pinching at it as he found his pace with all the marks.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He always wanted to mark </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> down and the time had finally come. He wanted to fill his body with marks that stated he was the one he had been having sex with, he was the one he became dependant from, he was the trained puppy that was just willingly doing his game.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>However, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> always had to be in charge and the way he pressed his own leg towards Seonghwa’s crotch let this one moan over his skin, breathing hot air on his flesh that sent a shiver down to </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> body. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“ ‘</span>
  <span>uo</span>
  <span> like it?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> asked, his voice needy with pleasure as he clutched his hand into Seonghwa’s locks, lifting his face and meeting his eyes again. Seonghwa’s lips were red and swollen, he lapped over them briefly before nodding and bringing his face near to </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span>, who understood the request and kissed him making naughty sounds. Then, they parted, and a thin line of </span>
  <span>saliva</span>
  <span> broke over their lips.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I do, come a little closer.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa said as he brought </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> closer and brushed the leg he was sitting on over his lower parts, receiving a cry in answer, a cry that filled him with new </span>
  <span>strength</span>
  <span> again.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Placing both his larger hands over his waist, Seonghwa shifted positions letting </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> rest with his back over the mattress. He did it with a little thud and his eyes never left Seonghwa as he crawled above him, making one of his legs push against his upcoming erection. </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> moaned at the friction and grinded over Seonghwa’s thigh instinctively, receiving a pleasant hum in answer.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You seem like a needy kitten. If I didn’t know about your true nature, I’ll find you cute.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa said before lowering again to kiss </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> chest, who chuckled darkly before tightening his grip into the novelist grey locks after he reached for them.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Bold of you to state something like that even knowing my nature.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I like to take risks in life.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He stated, biting in near </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span>  left nipple. </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> sighed, his grip tightened more when Seonghwa’s leg pushed again against his crotch. God, he knew his way too and </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> was </span>
  <span>almost happy of having</span>
  <span> let him have “charge”.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa smiled, caressing </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> lower abdomen with the tip of his fingers and kissed his chest once more before lapping at his nipple. After that, he took off his shirt, which laid unbothered on their sides.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmmh...you know your way, do you?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> asked breathy, Seonghwa nibbled at the sensitive spot he was back at and Hongjoong answered with a sound he could associate to a meow. And Seonghwa fucking liked it, he liked it so much he wanted to hear </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> purr under his hands.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I won’t let you win so </span>
  <span>easily</span>
  <span>.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He stated, anyway, raising the knee he had between Seonghwa’s legs to touch the latter’s cock, feeling </span>
  <span>it hardening</span>
  <span> under his pants the same way his one was doing.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Never thought that would have been easy.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa answered prideful, allowing his hands to trace the shapes </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> tattooed runes on his body did, following the black lines over his arms until he had both of them pinned above his head. Cooing, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> looked right into his eyes and pleasantly discovered the dark turn Seonghwa’s cute round eyes had took, now being sharp and piercing.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> felt something knot in his stomach when Seonghwa kissed his lips again, greedier than he had ever been, leaving him breathless before grabbing his already pinned-above-the-head hands with one of his. With the free one, Seonghwa travelled down to </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> pants and started to unbutton them; however, he didn’t dare to remove them and simply slipped in his hand, which started to caress the latter’s dick with slow, paced strokes.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The creature let out a moan, grinding above Seonghwa’s hand trying to feel the full frame of it over his length, yet Seonghwa managed to keep it distanced enough so only his fingertips could touch him; </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> let out a disapproval scoff at the behaviour, Seonghwa simply smiled before placing a little peck above his forehead.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What? I’m the one that has a mission tonight. And you’re agreeing with all of this.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He said with charm, moving his head on the side of </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> face, searching for that sensitive spot under his ear, where he bit in. </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> breathed heavy, his chest rising and falling with all the slow petting Seonghwa did over his dick.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Geez</span>
  </em>
  <span>...and they say</span>
  <em>
    <span> I</span>
  </em>
  <span> am a tease.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> had to admit, he was surprised about how much of a leader in bed could Seonghwa be, since the other one had been submitting to him all the time; he had to, also, admire the care Seonghwa was applying to every single new touch he gave him, making him feel so desired and cared as his two friends did. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t know which reason led Seonghwa to be so caring toward him in a moment like that: they weren’t friends, neither lovers, nor any kind of acquaintance – at least, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> would never consider them that, probably Seonghwa would –; so, receiving all that tenderness from all the kisses and the caresses felt strange, but pleasant. </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> would never dedicate such importance to someone he just fucked around – in any sense – but Seonghwa seemed to even ignore how </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> had tried to kill him twice or how rough had he been during their previous sessions of fucking, considering how he was showering </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> with all of that and didn’t blink an eye at doing so. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Probably it was just Seonghwa’s way to be, or he had seen how </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> needed some reassurance after the night before – the image of his panicked and teary face didn’t leave his mind after that – and, even thought that creature had caused such pain to him – but also respected their contract with all the little pills of information about magic Seonghwa slowly received – he felt bad for having caused him any unprompted pain. How hilarious to feel ashamed for hurting someone who had been doing it to him since their first day. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>But, in the end, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> even took care of him after the hallucinations and also waited for him to fall asleep before leaving, he had admired him for that action that showed how he wasn’t that kind of a monster he was depicted as. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>A real monster would have left him dying in the throes of hallucinations and pain, but </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> didn’t.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And Seonghwa wanted to know more about his past, about who Yunho was; so, why not making that moment pleasant for both of them? It seemed the most logic thing. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>However, he still had his mission and some different ideas passed through his mind as he kept brushing his hand above </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> hardness and never grabbing it, letting Hongjoong feel his pads above the warm skin under them.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“If you don’t get to action soon...I swear to Artemis...”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Said </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> with throaty voice as he – secretly really turned on – let Seonghwa nibble at his chest and play with his dick, feeling his fingers more and more at every stroke as they darted his sensibility to the stars and his mind went fuzzy. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa smiled with his lips resting over the latter’s chest, little red petals started to form all over his skin along with bite marks, painting prettily </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> body with the name of “Seonghwa”. It felt nice marking him that way, from neck down, the overall making Seonghwa feel really in charge for once in that silly game of roles.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Patience...”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Crooned Seonghwa as he placed a trail of pecks to his navel, slowly and lightly. </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> felt ticklish as he did so, he let out a little enjoyed huff trying to hold a giggle and Seonghwa sucked at his skin when he was really close to his crotch, making him pant. Insitnctively, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> thrusted his hips up a little, still wanting to feel the friction between Seonghwa’s hand and his dick, yet Seonghwa, once again, kept his hand at a range where he couldn’t get more than his pads.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“C’mon...I’m starving here!”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Complained </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> after finally meeting Seonghwa’s eyes again, making puppy eyes to him; he smiled in return, finally deciding to grab </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> dick and observing his face morphing in relief as he let another moan out at the first stroke.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Better, sir?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> nodded quietly, his pointy teeth showing as he bit his lower lip and let Seonghwa have his way. Finally freeing his hand from the grip, Seonghwa released the other’s wrists and caressed his arm for the whole length, next his torso until it reached the pants, which he discarded as he kept pumping over Hongjoong’s dick.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>When </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> was finally naked and some cold breeze hit his skin, he sighed, but the warmth of Seonghwa’s hand and body over him immediately comforted him. He glanced to Seonghwa’s face meeting his two round black eyes for some moments and, somehow, he felt something in his stomach that was more than the familiar knot that had been building up in the latest minutes. He felt flustered, he could also feel his cheek brighten a little when the other one placed a peck on his lips, a little, sweet, innocent peck before fastening his movements on his dick.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He felt, once again, cared and spoilt, somehow. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> felt suddenly close, his length angry and sensible at the long fingers of the novelist working rhythmical on it; and, due that, he spoke brushing his lips over Seonghwa’s one, who didn’t really </span>
  <span>take</span>
  <span> distance from his face after that kind kiss.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I feel close...don’t want to...come like that...”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He whispered, their lips meeting briefly at every word until Seonghwa dipped in for a more passionate kiss and parted with a huff.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Mh mh...beg me.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The latter widened his eyes at his words, but when he tried to rebuke, he felt Seonghwa’s free hand going back to his wrists, blocking his arms above his head since they didn’t move from that position after he freed him.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“W-What?!”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa smiled, his lips curving up sly. Spending too much time with a dark creature of woods had its consequences.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What you heard, beg me. For it...” he said, his voice low and dark as he enclosed with </span>
  <span>Hongjoong's</span>
  <span> pointy ear, whispering “...beg for me to fuck you until you come.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He ended, biting on the soft flesh of his lobe making </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> sigh and tilt his head to the opposite side a bit, movement that exposed more of his neck which Seonghwa attacked with more bites and kisses, his hand on his dick never stopping.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>This was, probably, the first time </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> regretted letting Seonghwa take the lead, because there was nothing more that he hated than being commanded or have to act miserable for a mere human. Thus, he darted his brows up in a mixture of surprise and upset, jolting his hands in an attempt of freeing himself just to find out that Seonghwa was definitely stronger than him.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You little...”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“This is my mission, remember? Beg for me.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa stopped his movement just to give </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> a little pause, in which he reached for a little blue plastic bottle under one of his pillows. Curious, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> followed the movement of his hand and witnessed his long pretty fingers uncapping the bottle, which Seonghwa brought closer to his dick and squeezed some of the liquid over it, letting it drip profusely until it reached his hole.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> moaned at the sudden coldness of the sticky liquid over him, contrasting with the heat of his length, but it made the situation somehow better and helped him </span>
  <span>to</span>
  <span> slightly cool down. However, Seonghwa was quick at grabbing his dick again and started to pump it with new strength, drenching his fingers with the lube as he moved them around.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not hearing you.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Said the novelist as he stopped with his hand on the head of </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> cock, covering it and squeezing a bit, receiving a pained cry from the other one who was, by then, closer to his peak again.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re as sly as I am.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> managed to say before Seonghwa could be back at it, moving his hand up and down making </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> purr under the touches. When Seonghwa reached the base, after some pumps, he left his dick and moved his hand over his balls, grabbing them as he reached his entrance with his middle finger.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The action made </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> shiver, his voice came out pitched and his body jolted with a new shock of pleasure.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh God.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He said to himself as Seonghwa started to stimulate his hole, caressing it and doing circles with his finger as he massaged his genitals in the meantime.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“So?” </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Proceeded to ask, his hand working skilled while </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> face was painted with lust.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Please don’t do this.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Whispered </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> with the tiniest voice Seonghwa ever heard from him, making his ego boost as he pushed his middle finger, without violating him. </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> was grasping from air in the meantime, his head spinning like crazy under Seonghwa’s hands.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And he, for real, thought he’d be able to be the one in charge, even after giving him full power? What a dreamer.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Yet, as much as he was enjoying all of that, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> felt embarrassed for being such an obedient and submissive one for a human. He was so embarrassed he felt his cheeks flush.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Want me to put it in?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa asked, his voice assertive as he glanced to </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> and moved his finger.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> bit his lips, swallowed a plump of saliva and then spoke, given up.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes...yes, please. Put it in.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And he thought it was enough for the other one to get at it, but Seonghwa smiled mischievous and reached for </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> face, only some inches separating them.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Call my name.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I.</span>
  <span>.. I</span>
  <span> won’t.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Squeezing lightly, he massaged his balls again after pressing his finger hard enough that just a little bit more of pushing would let it slide in. And the teasing was too much to bear anymore, so </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> let out another cry and, next, said.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Please...please </span>
  <span>please</span>
  <span> please...please Seonghwa put it in, put your fucking finger in and fuck me.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa smiled, his mission was finally accomplished and </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> deserved a little reward after all; so, he gave his finger the tiniest amount of force it needed to slide in, feeling it being hugged by Hongjoong’s warm insides, who let out a breathy moan and arched his back.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, the teasing was over. The mission, completed. Their bodies aching to finally merge.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And what followed next was just the way their breathes mixed, their skin touched feverish, their hands collided over the other’s body, lustful, and how their minds went blunt when both of them reached their apex. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> bit Seonghwa’s shoulder when he came, Seonghwa let him and just gave in some more pushes to follow him, squeezing one of his hands that, somehow, got intertwined with his during the action. He didn’t even notice; he just found his long fingers tangled with </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> shorter one, his hand looking so delicate and small as he embraced it. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Pulling out and discarding the condom he used – it was his turn to dominate, so even those kinds of things were of his choice and Seonghwa had the chance to finally have some safe sex after the rough manners of </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> –, Seonghwa rested his head in the hollow of </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> neck, still staying over him as he let his breath get steady.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> didn’t really seem to dislike the sudden intimacy that the moment brought, since he let Seonghwa cuddle against him and keep his hand hold as he recovered. A little distracted, he also brought his cheek to rest over Seonghwa’s head, making it brush against his locks that tickled his nose a little bit.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>After some moments, one of them finally spoke.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you move? You’re heavy.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> simply said, yet he kept cuddling against Seonghwa’s hair; the latter smiled a bit at that weak-willed attempt of his and, instead of moving around as he asked, he simply lifted </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> hugging him close. At that, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> made a sound and hit Seonghwa on his shoulder with a fist, lightly and without any harm.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Put me down.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He said, his voice dominant and his gaze strong against the softer rounder eyes of the novelist that, no, definitely didn’t put him down but started to walk toward the bathroom as he secured the guy toward his body. They were still both naked, so their warm skins kept touching and </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> had to admit it was pleasant.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Since you let me have the lead tonight, we’ll do it as I want to. So, we’re going to take a shower now and next, we have something to discuss about.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa patted </span>
  <span>Hongjoong’s</span>
  <span> back and he, sighing, gave up putting his chin over his shoulder. </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> knew he would have had to explain about Yunho and the incident to Seonghwa, someday, but he hoped it would have come as later as possible.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>But here he was, in the arms of the human he had been so fascinated by, ready to take a shower with him and mentally preparing himself to the revelation Seonghwa so much yearned for.</span>
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hiii thanks everyone who waited for this update and that is still here!<br/>Finally Seonghwa had his moment to shine, eheh</p><p>Hope you'll wait for the next update, see you soon!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Peeling off the armour</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi everyone! Before you get into this chapter, I feel like I should put a little disclaimer.<br/>In the meanwhile of writing and reviewing this, I felt like I kind of romanticised a little bit the relationship between Seonghwa and Hongjoong and the character that was originally assigned to him. But, summing up things, it felt right to the plot, for me.<br/>However, I know some people may not like it (even if, little spoiler, I gave Hongjoong his big breakdown moment to realise things) because it feels like romanticising abuse and things, and I respect it. I don't condone such behaviour in reality, but this is fiction and it felt like working...so I just left it like that.<br/>I'm sorry if this chapter will disappoint someone or will not meet your expectations (I hope it doesn't), but I will totally respect you if you decide to drop the fic here. You have all the rights to enjoy the things that make you feel comfortable and nothing more!</p><p>That said, I hope you enjoy because this is slowly coming to and end!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Is it ok? I’m not pulling too harsh, right?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong never thought he’d find himself facing a closed window, sitting on a cosy bed, in a room painted with toasty tones as a pair of human hands morbidly combed his hair, daintily untangling some knotted locks after a soft towel dabbed them. He never thought he’d find himself playing nervous with the soft fabric of the bathrobe Seonghwa kindly gave him after the shower, wrapping his smaller body in it while the other guy used just a bigger towel for himself, letting Hongjoong lean in the spongy cloth that smelt like softener and lavender, the same lavender scent of the body wash Seonghwa used on both of them. He never thought he’d find himself craving for the short pets Seonghwa did on his head after untangling some of his hair, making him feel so small and cared, even more than Yeosang and Mingi did. And he’d never thought all of this could happen in not less than a week.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“No, it’s fine...you’re even more delicate than you should with me.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong said, his voice thin and warm as his eyes softened to the touch, his ears peeking between the wet strands and stretched to aim for the brushing sound in the silence of the room, along with the soft humming Seonghwa was doing that slowly relived his tensed nerves.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>If </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> had the chance to state something about Seonghwa after only a week or more of acquaintanceship, he’d say he’s one of the kindest people he had met, for sure. Not that he had the chance to meet many, but he’s caring, he’s understanding, he did no harm to him even if he was given the chance to.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong – once again – couldn’t understand why Seonghwa was so loving, he really couldn’t! If he was him, he’d never submit to such cruelty and such arrogance of his, such dark activities and such danger...but Seonghwa did. He wondered if Seonghwa saw something in him, something that most of the people around never had the chance to, something that made him say “he’s not a bad one”; or if it was just a vile tactic to keep him closer for all his research purposes for the magic stuffs.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong didn’t know, but he loved the way Seonghwa combed his hair and hummed a lullaby while doing it. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He wondered, wondered if he himself was falling for that city boy who cared him as a normal person, as a being who didn’t carry sorrow and misfortune to everyone that came in his way. As a person deserving the compassion and the kindness that, most years ago, were torn away from him only because he was different. From him and his family, just because they were different.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And he felt, for the first time, so sorry for being so cruel to Seonghwa, so rude, so mean to a person that was – apparently, after only a week of “friendship” – so full of that love and compassion Hongjoong really needed.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He said out of nowhere, Seonghwa’s hand stopped after his statement and his head peeked over his shoulder in an attempt of looking him in the face. He was sitting behind Hongjoong on his heels, his body wrapped in a clean white shirt and a pair of black boxers, his hair still wet after the shower.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What did you say?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa asked, playing dumb.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry for what I did to you. You're such a nice human, you’re not like all the citizens that came nearby the woods or that...did what they did years ago. I’m really sorry, Seonghwa. I shouldn’t have hurt you like that, you don’t deserve it. I don’t even understand why are you so caring with me after I... almost killed you? And poisoned you? Killed you twice? What goes on in your mind, do you have some kind of Stockholm syndrome or what? Why are y-”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey hey hey...wait, you’re talking non-stop.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong whined at the confusion he sensed in his own voice, his façade as the dark creature of the forest finally cracking in the tender hands of the novelist. Seonghwa patted his back, Hongjoong was back at it with the flux of words coming from his mouth.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean, Seonghwa, why are you so loving towards me? Why did you let me do all of those things? Why are you taking care of me as if I didn’t harm you so bad in... more only than a week! Why are you doing this? Are you playing mind games with me like Yeosang does? What is your plan?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa sighed at the number of questions finally coming out from that boy, then started combing his hair again.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Listen Hongjoong...” he said, a knot untangled in his touch “...if I have to be honest, until the poison accident happened, until yesterday, I thought you were being just a big joke my brain was playing on me. Even after meeting multiple times during the week at the flower shop and even after we exchanged looks from the windows that made me shiver, even if you left me with that riddle and the poison... I still kept thinking about you as a big illusion, even if it was hard to- since I almost lost it at first. And I kept thinking about the florist as a bigger coincidence.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa’s voice was calm when he spoke, Hongjoong’s finger were hunched to the hems of his bathrobe as he listened quietly.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, I’m a sceptical. I don’t believe in something until I see it with my eyes and it had been the same with you. I didn’t really think of you as an existing magical creature, but as a projection of my mind of some kind of...hidden inspiration for my works? I think.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>At this point, Hongjoong was giving him full attention, and when Seonghwa stopped combing he just slowly turned toward him, looking at him in the eyes where he found sincerity.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Until yesterday, I was sceptical about everything that happened between us, even if I had that pink vial testifying it. But if there was one </span>
  <span>thing</span>
  <span> I was sure about, is that I really...really wanted to have my revenge back. I wanted to see you in the same pitiful state you made me in the first time we met. However, yesterday night I saw something...”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong held his breath, the confrontation about the poison accident slowly emerging from the bottom.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You were scared, scared about something I probably reminded you. I don’t remember much, but I clearly remember the panic and the tears that flood your eyes yesterday. A monster would have let me die in the pain of poison even if my reaction caused something in it...but you not only gave me the antidote, but also waited for me to fall asleep and feel better.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa looked directly into Hongjoong’s eyes and Hongjoong wanted to, once again, disappear at how vulnerable he was feeling. Yet, his hand simply squeezed the fabric in it more as a response.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t get me wrong, I still want to take my revenge back and what we did today was a little taste of it...” he said, smiling with one corner of his mouth and making Hongjoong scoff lightly “...but I also want to know who you are, what have you been through. I realised I don’t want only your magic knowledge, I want to know more about you, Hongjoong. You’re an interesting one.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Silence went over, than a giggle rose from Hongjoong’s throat that cut it like a piece of paper between the sharpest scissors.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re crazy Seonghwa, you don’t really want to know me better. I almost killed you. Twice.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, but you also saved me. Twice.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa said, his index and middle finger rising up to symbolise the number “two”.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I kill people, Seonghwa. I’ve killed many of them.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“But why did you do it? I don’t think you just woke up in the morning and decided to go on a killing spree. There should be a reason behind it and I’m pretty sure it is because of what happened to this Yunho you mentioned about.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Swiftly, Hongjoong’s hand darted toward Seonghwa’s white shirt, grabbing it at its collar and bringing him closer. His eyes were full of dark emotions again, Seonghwa felt like he stepped over a mine ready to explode if he lifted his foot.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you dare put his name in your mouth that carelessly.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Then explain me about it. What happened to him.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Tik tock tik tock. </span>
  </em>
  <span>The time seemed to expand and seconds felt like minutes, minutes like hours as Hongjoong dig into Seonghwa’s gaze trying to find his real reasons behind everything of that. Yet, once again, he only found sincerity and a thin line of fear.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He let his shirt go, sighing as he went back sitting and held his head between his hands. Talking about Yunho was always hard for him, it felt like stabbing himself multiple times every time he did; he didn’t know if he could fully trust Seonghwa on it, but when one of the novelist’s hands came to wrap his left one in it – taking it away from his head – he simply let a big huff go and brought his right hand to rub his eyes.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Dry your hair and sit down, this is gonna be a long journey.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa did as ordered, leaving the bed after giving Hongjoong a little thumb stroke on his hand and going to the bathroom to dry his hair up – they didn’t need much, they were just a bit humid by the time – and, when he went back, he swore to God he would have found his bed empty, yet Hongjoong was still sitting there, legs crossed and fidgeting with some of his </span>
  <span>whitish</span>
  <span> locks.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>When Seonghwa sat down again, Hongjoong pressed his lips in a thin line and he needed some more seconds – in which Seonghwa stayed silent, his eyes scanning the latter’s expression – before he could start speaking. His voice started trembling, insecure, and Hongjoong could feel his own pain flow with the words that talked about his story, about the fire, about Yunho, about Yeosang and Mingi, about everything that had happened in the previous years. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa just listened, silent and motionless as he let Hongjoong slowly peel off his armour.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“...and that’s why humans are no more allowed in our woods. Because I don’t want any possibility for Yeosang and Mingi to get hurt again, not anymore. Not a single person will have to deal with them as long as I’m alive.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Hongjoong...that’s...a lot here.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>As the boy from the woods explained his story, Seonghwa got to held his hands and place slow circular movements with his thumbs over them, and he was now keeping them both between his as he gazed to Hongjoong’s teary eye and sniffing nose.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah...I know, but it’s ok.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not, you had to go through this all alone an-”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I had Mingi and Yeosang, I wasn’t alone.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“But you never searched for the same help you gave to them, Hongjoong.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I... I just don’t want to flood them with my own pain too, they had enough on their own.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Hongjoong, </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> had enough on your own too.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>They looked at each other, a compassionate gaze broke the last thin piece of armour Hongjoong was still keeping on and a little tear went down, wetting his cheek as he spoke with broken voice.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry...I should have been a better leader and a better friend.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He said, his left hand slipping away from Seonghwa’s grip to wipe the upcoming strand of tears that started to come down. It hurt, it hurt as the first time he had helped Yeosang and Mingi to get over it, it hurt as a blade passing from one side to another of his chest, it hurt as if someone broke all his bones in a hit: but he finally let it out, and his body felt so light after ages.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>His silent sobbing filled the room and Seonghwa slowly opened his arms, offering him a hug; he didn’t force it, though, but really hoped for Hongjoong to take it.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>After scanning up Seonghwa once again, Hongjoong just accepted it, leaning in and letting the strong arms of the novelist wrap him. He wasn’t as big and strong as Mingi, yet Seonghwa managed to make him feel so little in his arms, his body pressed on his own that searched for the warmth of his skin.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa rubbed Hongjoong’s back as he let him cry, giving him some paced kisses on his head that helped him calm down. When he felt Hongjoong snuggle closer, Seonghwa spoke again.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I can’t do much to help you...but, if you’re willing to, a friend of mine is a therapist and I’m pretty sure he could do better than me.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>At that, Hongjoong rose with his head and gently untangled from his hug, going back to his place as he sat down.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s no way I’m gonna open up to another human more than you. Just because I’m letting you know all of this and... know me better, doesn’t mean I’m still forgiving humans for what they did.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“But Hongjoong... it’s for your health.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, who cares? I'm not gonna start therapy with a human just because you asked me. I still don’t trust...other humans other than you, a little. They're still trash to me.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You do know there are other humans like me, right? A therapist won’t judge you at all, you don’t have to reveal your true nature too...please Hongjoong, let me help you. You deserve this.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And with that, Hongjoong stood from the bed growling, his hands reaching for his fur as he freed himself from the bathrobe. He liked Seonghwa, but other humans were definitely out of his personal life. He’d never let someone else know about </span>
  <em>
    <span>that.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll gladly keep myself traumatised more than having contacts with more humans than the ones I already have the chance to meet when I work at the flowers hop. So, thanks, but no.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Hongjoong not all humans in your life will or want to harm you.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“But most of them do.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He said, his fur finally wrapping his body as he opened the window, a cold breeze coming in and making Seonghwa shiver. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The novelist didn’t rise from the bed, he kept his eyes on Hongjoong and watched his pale skin and hair shine in the moonlight.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re doing the same things those humans did to you back in the days: you’re judging all of them because you don’t know them. Please, Hongjoong, listen to me...”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong pointed a finger to the other boy, his gaze sharp and dark like the one Seonghwa was used to. His armour was back again, the fragile part of him back into the darkest side of his little body.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I won’t. Goodbye, Seonghwa.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa didn’t had the time to stand up from the bed when a strange wave of sleep caught him instantly. Hongjoong dropped off from the window, disappearing in the distance as the novelist eyes shut slowly.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>───────────────</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Probably, what his brain suggested him to do wasn’t – and would never be – the smartest thing to ever think about given the situation; but, after considering all the options, Seonghwa ended up with picking up the phone and dialling the number of the only person – </span>
  <span>people, under</span>
  <span> the circumstances – he could trust for some mildly good advices.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Ok...hold on...let me see if I got everything right...</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>San said, Seonghwa could picture him brushing his hand through his hair as a habit he had when he tried to figure out things.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>So, you’re telling me you and the flower shop guy, that appeared in your dreams as a dark fairy thing, had met in a bar a week ago. You offered him a drink because you found him cute, he accepted and you drank together...and you gave him a ride home after he gave you his phone number. Correct?</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Of course, Seonghwa couldn’t </span>
  <span>describe</span>
  <span> how the story really was, so he had to...make things up a bit. He thanked his ability of storytelling, since both San and Wooyoung on the other side of the phone seemed to be convinced by it.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa gave a positive hum to San, Wooyoung kept going with the telling.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>And he invited you to his house because he found you kind and interesting, so you had some more drink</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>s </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>and ended up fucking...but he had been a little bit rough on you? Like he...kind of forced you to it?”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s say I wasn’t in the mood at the start but then I... pretty much enjoyed it, yes.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And even if it was to sustain the </span>
  <span>half-truth</span>
  <span> he built for them, admitting he enjoyed their first encounter felt too real. It </span>
  <span>probably</span>
  <span> was.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Mmmmkay, so you basically fucked half drunk and rough, I see. Didn’t know you were into such things.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Said Wooyoung, his voice mocking receiving an embarrassed whine from Seonghwa as an answer.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Accept it Seonghwa, you have a dirty soul.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Wooyoung, ‘cmon he asked for help, not for a callout.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Answered San.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Back to it...n</span>
  </em>
  <span>e</span>
  <em>
    <span>xt you started seeing each other and ended up having some fun again, aka you drunk together BUT he had one of those bad sad drunk moments where he cried and told you about some of his...old traumas? And things.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The more he heard that story told by someone else rather than him, the more he wanted to scream in a jar of glass and throw said jar in a lake so deep the possibility to find it again would equal zero.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes...and I tried to tell him he should see a therapist for it and that a friend of mine does this job and could help him go through it. But he sent me to hell because he thinks he's the cause of the thing that happened and doesn’t deserve such kind treatment... and just left me alone. He won’t answer to my texts or calls and I wonder what should I do.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Some days had passed from when he had seen </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> for the last time. The flower shop was closed, a sign was hanged on the door saying the shopkeepers would take some days for themselves due personal reasons and Seonghwa’s ways to track him down weren’t much more than those trips to the shop. He didn’t know if going into the woods was the best option to follow, he didn’t know if he had to wait for him to come out again or if he just had to let it go and move on. That was why he ended up calling those two, that weren’t really helping him in the moment. Instead, they seemed to enjoy more seeing him suffer because his life on the relationship field was a total mess.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Some </span>
  <span>seconds</span>
  <span> of silence passed and the more the time flowed, the more Seonghwa wanted to disappear in the waiting of one of his two friends’ voices.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Ok first of all: is the therapist you’re talking about my cousin Jongho? Because he does online calls for therapy sessions and-</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>I don’t think this is the answer he needs now, San. But I too think he’s definitely talking about Jongho.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I should have texted you </span>
  <span>both instead of calling</span>
  <span>, this </span>
  <span>is</span>
  <span> going nowhere.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa sighed, his hand went to his face, covering it and muffling a pained scream he let out in complete desperation and surrender.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what should I do? Do I try to reach for him at his house? Won’t I look like a maniac?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, you’ll definitely look like a maniac.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>San said, </span>
  <span>laughing,</span>
  <span> followed by Wooyoung pitched giggle. Seonghwa sighed, </span>
  <em>
    <span>again</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Listen, Seonghwa...</span>
  </em>
  <span>” Wooyoung started, his voice going back to normal and finally serious “</span>
  <em>
    <span>...I don’t really know which kind of relationship you both have, since I don’t know him and can’t really tell, but you’re not stupid and we be knowing it.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thanks, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Seonghwa mentally said.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>You seem really invested in this guy, there’s probably a reason behind all of this you won’t tell us and I respect it- not at all to be honest, but I’ll fake my respect for it” </span>
  </em>
  <span>he coughed “</span>
  <em>
    <span>ANYWAY, seems like you’ve finally found someone interesting enough to match with your tastes...so I’d say you give him a try. I mean, you could go by his house, wait in the car and text him saying ‘hey I’m down in the car, can we just talk?’ or something like that.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Seonghwa sighed, that was the same thing he had thought. Unfortunately, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> didn't have a fucking house, didn’t have a damn phone and lived in the fucking woods. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I see...so I won’t look </span>
  <span>.</span>
  <span>..desperate or a maniac?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>A little bit, probably...” s</span>
  </em>
  <span>aid Wooyoung, San let out an amused huff “</span>
  <em>
    <span>...but it will be just one try. If he doesn’t give you a chance after this, drop him. He doesn’t deserve you</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>It wasn't unfamiliar for both San and Wooyoung to wait for Seonghwa to process their – most of the times, Wooyoung’s – advices, so they ended up bickering over ordering food for their dinner or just make some, since Wooyoung wanted to try a new recipe for kimchi fried rice but San wanted to have a pizza; and their voices filled the silence as Seonghwa processed what the right thing to do was. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Since </span>
  <span>Wooyoung</span>
  <span> gave him his blessing, though, maybe trying to reach for </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> to the woods wasn’t such a bad idea. The downside of it was that he would have to face not one, but three fiery beasts of the woods if something went wrong, so it was risky. But, at the same time, he didn’t really feel like giving up over Hongjoong, not after he knew what he had been through and after acknowledging – thanks to all the show he put on for Wooyoung and San – that he actually enjoyed their </span>
  <em>
    <span>particular</span>
  </em>
  <span> mating process. And he still had his revenge to take.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>So, Seonghwa let out a desperate scream – for the second time in that call – and spoke.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok, I’m gonna reach for him to his house and I’ll let you know how it goes. If he won’t give me a chance, I'll drop him.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>You. Better.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>remarked Wooyoung, making every stop between words clear</span>
  <em>
    <span> “oh, by the way, remember that we are gonna come visit you. If everything goes well, you have to introduce us. If not, we’ll accompany you to piss on his alley.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“WOOYOUNG????” </span>
  </em>
  <span>darted San, Seonghwa could picture his confused eyes.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>What?!? He’s shit if he doesn’t excuse to Hwa. And we’re the only </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>one</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span> with the right to make him this distressed and get away with it.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Wooyoung said the last part of his sentence with the most irritable voice; but in the end, Seonghwa was really grateful to those two boys. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The novelist let out a little laugh, Wooyoung and San smiled at it and they kind of wished he </span>
  <span>face timed</span>
  <span> them to see it.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you guys, for real.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Anytime bro</span>
  </em>
  <span>” answered San “</span>
  <em>
    <span>but nooow we have to hang up because I’m gonna order pizza for tonight.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>WHAT? NO, WE SAID WE WERE GONNA COOK KIMCHI FRIED RICE.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Bye byeeee!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>CHOI SA-</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And the call cut.</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>───────────────</span>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Thin rays of sun dived between the thick foliage of the woods, the light playing hide and seek between the branches until it reached for the ground, illuminating the dewy strands of grass that formed a path to a single grey engraved stone. A boy was sitting in front of it, the skilled hands of his intertwined some peonies in the attempt of making a flower crown.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The atmosphere was peaceful, some soothing chirping could be heard coming from the threes and the light was dim enough to create those playful games of shadows that painted the ambient. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You know...” started the figure, his hands picked up another peony and added it to the crown “...sometimes I think what would it be if you were still here, if back in the days nothing of that happened. I miss the way you made us feel loved, the way you made us feel safe, how you could lighten up the mood.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He picked up another peony.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I miss your strong arms around the three of us, how you made everyone in here feel so small...I also miss how you always came to me for advices because you know you can count on me, and so could I.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The peony’s stem broke as he bent it, the boy gently discarded </span>
  <span>it and</span>
  <span> picked up another one.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I miss your hearty laugh, your silly dances that kept us all entertained in the sleepless nights. I miss your clothes laying around and I miss scolding you because you made too much noise when I was doing my works.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> knotted a string at the end of the crown, making it done. Gently, he placed it on top of the stone and let his hands caress the surface, tracing the letters written on it with a </span>
  <span>melancholic</span>
  <span> pace.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Jeong Yunho.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“If I just insisted more, if I just knew how to reach for you, if I just was a better me than I had been...you’ll probably be with us now. I’m so sorry, Yunho. So, so, sorry. I miss you.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>One hand dropped heavy on his knee, the other one went to his temples, in which he squeezed.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t even know if what I’m doing here is right...I mean, I was, until I met Seonghwa. You know, I didn’t talk about him to you yet. Silly it is that I tried to keep all the humans away from here, killed some of them too, and decided to keep alive this single one that is making all my certainties crack.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He laughed, desperate and abdicant.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Silly of me to think that I could trick him into something for personal pleasure and then end up caring about him. Me, about a human. Me, feeling sorry for what </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> did to a </span>
  <em>
    <span>human.</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Miserable, </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> shielded his eyes and gripped strongly the other hand on his knee.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“He even offered me some help for this whole situation...he offered me to go to therapy. Not that I’m a total outsider to human activities, I clearly know what going to therapy means. But how can he be so considered towards me after all? I hurt him so bad...have I tricked him into caring for such a rotten soul of mine? I can’t give him this painful self of mine. I can’t trick him further into liking something that is rotting. But at the same time...I don’t feel like giving up on him...I...”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He paused for a second, the flowing of his thoughts restless like a </span>
  <span>thunderstorm.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I kind of like him, for the person he is. And that’s why I don’t wanna hurt him anymore.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed, his hand still covering his face.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Am I doing the right thing, Yunho? If I accept his help, will I be able to forgive myself for what I did? Will it be the right thing to do? Will I be able to go back to our life before the accident? To when we used to have contacts with humans without arming each other, before the fire happened? Will </span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> and </span>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span> be ok with this? Oh, </span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> was right, I don’t have this situation under control anymore...how have I become so weak.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>A cackle rose and </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> dig his face further in his hand.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Everything of this is so wrong. What I’m feeling is so wrong. Maybe ignoring him would be the best option.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“It won’t.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>A calm voice interrupted the plethora of thoughts </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> was shoving to Yunho’s grave; and it brought him back to the world when he turned around, finding </span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> wrapped in his leaves-coat and arched above him, his whole figure shielding the few rays of warm light coming from above.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“How much have you been listening?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Since the part in which you said I was right.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> looked into </span>
  <span>Yeosang’s</span>
  <span> eyes sever seconds before the other creature gently moved, letting the light caress his skin again. Like a bird resting in his nest, </span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> dropped sitting near </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> and started gathering all the poor peonies that have been discarded from the making of the flower crown.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You know, Joong...” he said, his eyes avoiding contact “...you’re right, I was right: you’ve ended up too entangled in this situation. And you know when I was sure this would happen?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> shook his head, Yeosang continued.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Your left brow twitches when you lie, and it did when, during the week you’d given the mission to Seonghwa, I asked you if you already had the antidote ready. You said no and that you’ll be preparing it in the days coming, but your brow twitched and I knew you already chose a poison you were secure to have the antidote ready.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>At this point, he lifted his head from the peonies, finding the puzzled expression of Hongjoong in full display.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What I’m trying to say is that you had a soft spot for that boy from the start, mindfully or not. Yeah, I know you almost killed him after your first funny encounter, in which apparently both of you enjoyed the thing from what you told us. But you wouldn’t let him live if you didn’t care and he wouldn’t really accept anything from you if he didn’t want to.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“He also said he wants to take his revenge for the miserable state I made him at first, how stupid.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> giggled low at his own words; talking to </span>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> started to clean things up about the situation, why hasn't he done it earlier? </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> felt sorry for the way he treated Seonghwa in the first place, but Seonghwa never rejected him in the following times and he always gave him the marginal option of doing so from the moment the deal was sealed. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He was feeling like a monster, from ages, but probably Seonghwa was right: he wasn’t that of a monster.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I still can’t find a way to forgive myself for hurting him that way.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you say sorry to him?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes but...it doesn’t feel enough.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> clicked his tongue, then proceeded to put the peonies he grabbed from the ground – a total amount of three – in the pocket of his coat. A bit of an impossible missions, given the dimension of the flowers, but he still managed.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Then find a way to show him you’re really sorry. Listen, Joong, I’m not really enthusiast about you being friend with a human, you know how do I feel about them, but if he did this” and he wiggled his hands in the hair “to you, he’s probably different from the heap of brainless and heartless flesh that humans are.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>It felt incredibly wrong, giving himself a chance to improve, giving himself a chance to say sorry, giving himself a chance to reborn with new light. It felt wrong doing it and leaning towards someone he initially saw only as a mere time-killer activity, it still felt wrong to accept the affection he developed for Seonghwa. The paradox of leaving the past behind thanks to a human felt so wrong, yet </span>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> finally realised he really needed that and probably deserved it too. He deserved to feel like shit for having hurt someone that doesn’t deserve it, but he deserved the chance to move on too.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And if Seonghwa, after everything, was willing to give it a try, why should he trash it out?</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll do everything in my power to make amends for what I did, but you’re right...I should give this a try.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Yeosang</span>
  <span> smiled and patted his shoulder, seeing Hongjoong vexed expression lighten a little. And in the wake of the moment, the black-haired boy decided to reveal the real reason he went searching for Hongjoong.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“And speaking about your human not-so-anymore pet, we brought it to you.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong</span>
  <span> expression did a whole turn at that, changing from melancholic to troubled.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You did...what?!”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Is not like we went to fetch for him BUT he was in the woods again, probably searching for you, and me and </span>
  <span>Mingi</span>
  <span> didn’t really want him to find the way for our house. So, we just put him to sleep </span>
  <span>aaaand</span>
  <span> he’s now waiting in the living room, tied to the rattan armchair and still asleep. Surprise.”</span>
  
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Make Amend</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>A sharp pain – throbbing, to be more accurate – awakened Seonghwa that, as if he was getting used to it – to those headaches that, by then, came and gone daily –, let out a groan while opening his eyes, blinking to make his sight focus.  </p><p>Stretching his arms? Impossible. Kicking his numb leg? Neither. Like a flashback to days before, ropes keeping him steady on what appeared to be – or feel, since a black tick blindfold covered his eyes – a rattan armchair avoided any single movement that consisted in extending any of his limbs.  </p><p>Sighing, Seonghwa started to question who really was the one needing a therapist in between of him and Hongjoong; and it was definitely him. Running after a creature of the woods that had done <em>everything</em> to him, risking his own life and venturing in a forest full of traps and danger – as in the two friends of his <em>beloved </em>creature – and accepting the remote possibility of never coming back because, <em>oh no</em>, he felt sorry for the creature’s story and his situation, really felt like the dumbest shit he had done in the latest semester of his life. And adding to the pile, he didn’t even really know Hongjoong; yet, he was there, trying to shush the pain away generated from the stick – or whatever it was – that hit his head and made him faint. </p><p>Good job, Park Seonghwa. Good fucking job. </p><p>Feeling as stupid as a rock, he tried to lift his arm for the third time from when he awakened and the rope not only tightened at it but also started to scratch his skin under the black hoodie he wore. </p><p>“Ah you’re awake.” </p><p>A new voice drew Seonghwa’s attention, his covered eyes vainly searching for the source of it while he heard footsteps coming closer. They seemed heavy, the wooden floor creaking sometimes at the weight, yet they didn’t come close as much as eerie as Hongjoong used to do. In fact, the person coming closer didn’t sound threatening, even if Seonghwa had just witnessed the deep voice characterising them. </p><p>“Excuse if I bother you like this but would you mind taking this blindfold off from me, please?” </p><p>The novelist said, his voice steady and his breath held when he felt some long fingers caress the sides of his face, searching for the knot of the black cloth and finally freeing his vision. Seonghwa blinked, his eyes started to create the ambient at any flutter of lashes and, finally, the room full of rough wooden furniture and a toasty light coming from the only window of it, appeared, along with the tall figure that was smiling at him kindly. </p><p>“Sorry for the rude manners, Yeosang is very strict about keeping our place secret. Want some water?” </p><p>A big smile adorned the other boy’s face in front of him – his eyes almost two crescents due the smiling – as he reached for what seemed to be a counter with a carafe and some glasses. Seonghwa took note of how that boy was different from the other two he had the pleasure to meet: tall, wide shoulders, a toned back with some light scratches and scars – that he could totally see, since the latter was shirtless and wearing only a pair of black trousers – and two muscular legs; he almost seemed more a man of action than thinking, like his two friends were, and Seonghwa assumed this one must have been Mingi. However, the sharp fangs and the pointy ears looked like a common thing for everyone in there.  </p><p>Seonghwa was caught by the glint of a little flower-shaped earring on him when he turned around but his eyes were quick to dart again at Mingi’s face as he offered a glass of water. </p><p>“There’s nothing in it, you can drink it. I can’t do anything to you, orders from upstairs.” </p><p>Mingi said, his voice warm and low as he brought the glass to Seonghwa’s lips, who eyed again the boy before finally tipping in for some water. It wasn’t too cold, neither too warm. </p><p>“Aaah you really are pretty now that I have more time to look at you. I do get why Hongjoong decided to keep you alive.” </p><p>He said, Seonghwa almost choked on the last sip of water and moved whizzing his eyes back to Mingi’s face. </p><p>“What? That's true, you’re pretty. And if you’re at least a half as caring as Hongjoong described you...you’d be a total jackpot.” </p><p>Confused, Seonghwa frowned and Mingi simply placed the glass back on the counter before grabbing an old chair, sitting in front of the novelist with both of his arms on the backrest. </p><p>“Hongjoong has...told you about me?” <em> More than it was needed to? </em> he wanted to add. </p><p>“Oh, he did” started the creature, one single corner of his mouth going up “he couldn’t shut up about how you’ve been so good and nice to him and how he felt shitty as fuck because he hurt you. I didn’t see him like that in ages, you might be really nice if he became so vulnerable.” </p><p>“He feels <em> that </em> sorry?” </p><p>“Oh yes, he does. That’s why me and Yeosang brought you here when we saw you in the woods: you two need to talk and set this thing down. I miss the petty Joong.” </p><p>“But he was the one running away when I tried to help him.” </p><p>Mingi sighed, his hand cupped his chin. </p><p>“That’s because he doesn’t allow help from anyone, he’s too proud to. And he’s a dickhead that never wants to lean on someone’s shoulder even if he needs it.” </p><p>Seonghwa had to agree, he could say so too if he recalled the night in which they abruptly parted. </p><p>“Yeosang went to take him here, just wait some more time and get ready for the confrontation. Ah, nope, I won’t free you from the chair, sorry pretty boy.” </p><p>The taller boy patted Seonghwa’s head with his right hand and, in the exact moment he was going to stand up, the door behind him slammed open and a panting Hongjoong – wrapped in a coat, a black one with pieces of light brown fur decorating it – was standing with a hand on his chest. </p><p>“Seonghwa...are you...ok?” </p><p>He asked, the sentence being broke by his uneven breath as he reached for Mingi, placing a hand on his shoulder and gently pushing him away.  </p><p>“Woah woah, calm down Joongie. He’s ok, we did no arm to him except for a precise hit to his head that knocked him down. Don’t look at me like that, he has no injuries, for real. Check yourself.” </p><p>Seonghwa witnessed, for the second time, the way Hongjoong was being concerned for him. And he found it nice the way Hongjoong’s delicate hands went to check the back of his head and, next, his face and shoulders. </p><p>“I’m fine Hongjoong, just a little dizzy for the hit.” </p><p>He said, the latter looked apologetic and Seonghwa smiled at him, reassuring. </p><p>“Before the situation takes a different turn from what we planned, I’m heading out to feed the crows. Byeeeee!” </p><p>With that, Mingi closed the door behind him, leaving both Hongjoong and Seonghwa at the centre of the room with one of them tied to a rattan chair. Seonghwa found amusing how that reunion of them, somehow, resembled their first encounter. </p><p>“Would you mind to untie me?” </p><p>“Why would I? You look cute in all those ropes.” </p><p>Seonghwa couldn’t believe he would have missed that impish smile Hongjoong always used to carry around, yet there he was, rolling amused his eyes at seeing the corners of the creature’s mouth curving up.  </p><p>However, Hongjoong was quick at going back to the concerned look he had when he slammed the door open.  He sighed, his right hand went to caress Seonghwa’s cheek and stayed there, the novelist didn’t lean in the touch – even if he wanted to – and just stared back to Hongjoong. </p><p>“Are you willing to let me have a talk about the last night, now?” Seonghwa said, his voice reassuring and low. </p><p> Sprinting from Yunho’s grave and leaving Yeosang behind, bumping into rocks and roots that made his feet hurt and not giving himself time to think about what exactly facing Seonghwa would have meant didn’t look quite the right thing to Hongjoong now that he was staring into the latter’s face, his hand gravitating over that soft cheek of his whilst the thought of escaping slowly made its way in Hongjoong’s mind. </p><p>But what would escaping lead to? What would running away from Seonghwa – again – mean after understanding he needed to properly say sorry to him? What would avoiding that single tricky situation earn him? Absolutely nothing if not leading to some more bitter regrets. And Hongjoong had enough of regrets, he didn’t want some more; escaping wasn’t an option by then. </p><p>Hongjoong nodded, his right hand finally landed over Seonghwa’s cheek again and his thumb caressed the skin under it.  </p><p><em> Breath in, breath out. </em> </p><p>“Listen, Seonghwa. Before you can start, I want to be really sure about something.” </p><p>Seonghwa briefly nodded, Hongjoong proceeded. </p><p>“You know I already said sorry to you that night...but it still doesn’t feel right to me. I know I’ve hurt you and I’ve done the worst you could face during your simple human life” he cackled “but I still want to be sure that your will to help me to go through...every of this” his other hand gestured in the air “is driven only by a true wish of yours. The thought of having tricked you into helping me is not something I like. I know what you want to say...I tricked you into doing some <em>regrettable </em>things, but this is different.” </p><p>Seonghwa was giving him full attention and his eyes screamed compassion, Hongjoong felt sorry once again for being able to experience that much of care from the thing he had been hating the most in the latest years of his life. </p><p>“Seonghwa, I kind of...started to care about you in the same way you did to me. I don’t even know how this affection grew but if there is something I’m sure now is that I don’t want to see you in pain, not after how you treated me.” </p><p>The creature let his hand slide over Seonghwa’s shoulder, his eyes finally met the tender glance he was giving to him and his pointy fangs poked into his lower lips, biting in an attempt of focusing and not losing the train of thought. </p><p>“I’m sorry for what you’ve been through because of me and I’m sorry for how I’ve treated you the last night. I’ll gladly accept your help if you’re still willing to give it to me.” </p><p>Hongjoong’s voice got soft, his hand over Seonghwa’s shoulder a bit shaky but the smile the novelist gave to him was kind of a win itself and the first step on this brand-new path, that was scary as hell, but a little bit less scary if Seonghwa was willing to hold his hand. </p><p>Seonghwa, on the other side, couldn’t stop taking his eyes off Hongjoong as he watched him peel off his armour again, this time tossing its pieces far away from where he could pick it up again within seconds. He saw that guy that has been tormenting him just reveal his tender and injured side, like a soldier that carries his own memories from the war and has finally the chance to speak about them. </p><p>“I know what you might be thinking. Where did that eerie creature of the woods go? Well, it’s still here. But he got a soft spot for you and feels super sorry for everything before today.” </p><p>Seonghwa felt a fuzzy sensation in his chest, he felt the need to hold him down to his heart despite all; however, some ropes and a chair where in the way. </p><p>“Apology accepted, I’m still willing to give you a hand and the action is definitely driven by my own will. Mind to untie me, now?” </p><p>Smiling, Hongjoong nodded and went to untie Seonghwa; yet, he didn’t give him the chance to stand up because he was – while the novelist massaged his stiff arms – already sitting on his lap and placing both his hands over Seonghwa’s chest. The latter blinked at that, Hongjoong kept his eyes over Seonghwa’s chest and slowly leaned in for a hug, letting his hands slide between Seonghwa’s back and the chair.  </p><p>Seonghwa simply encircled Hongjoong’s body with his arms, letting him stay that way as much time as he needed to. They didn’t say a single thing, the silence between them spoke enough.  </p><p>At least, Seonghwa was happy to know he didn’t risk his life for nothing. And Hongjoong was happy to finally have someone he could lean on without feeling sorry. </p><p>“I want you to meet someone.” </p><p>Hongjoong said out of nowhere letting his lip brush against Seonghwa’s neck – in which he had been hiding his face for the latest seconds of the hug – and Seonghwa just murmured a “sure” while caressing his back, his fingers gentle as they moved between the fur pieces of his coat. Even if Hongjoong hadn’t mentioned it, Seonghwa knew he was talking about Yunho. </p><p>“But before going, I want to stay like this some more time...just a few more seconds.” </p><p><em> It’s fine, you can stay like this for how much you need </em>, he wanted to say. But, once again, the silence spoke million words. </p><p> </p><p>─────────────── </p><p> </p><p>“Ok Joong, you can do it.” </p><p>Whispered the boy to himself, a laptop in front of him with a virtual meeting call ready to be dialled. A steamy mug of lavender and chamomile infuse sat unbothered on the same table, his two hands started fidgeting as he tried to find the latest push he needed to start that call he had been preparing for weeks till the D-day to come. </p><p>Hongjoong was sitting in the middle of Seonghwa’s kitchen, the scent of the other boy’s vanilla perfume lingered in the air, remembering the latter he had been out from only few minutes.  </p><p>Since the day Seonghwa came to him to talk, Hongjoong had been visiting his house more often and he had been opening up more and more, showing more faces of himself and letting the other read his story like he was an old book found by the kindest librarian among dusty shelves. Hongjoong found that comfort, that love, that safety he had unconsciously been craving so much in Seonghwa and he was glad it had been him the one.  </p><p>Along with him, Seonghwa too showed more parts of himself to Hongjoong: the creature learned he was a skilled cook, that he hated messy places, that he liked the colour black and to be called pet names during their not-so-occasional sex fucks. Yes, they still stayed sex buddies after all – and the following times after they made up where some of the best fucks both of them had experienced – but Hongjoong started to feel attached to Seonghwa in the same way he was with Mingi and Yeosang and not only because he was nice.  </p><p>Sometimes, he questioned himself if any of the things he felt could be comparable to love and maybe they could, some kind of playful and childish love, the same love you can develop for a dear friend or simply some pure affection without any consequence. Hongjoong wouldn’t say he loved Seonghwa in a romantic way, but he loved him. And he loved seeing how he had been taking care of that purple orchid he sold to him, he loved how he helped him overcome insecurities and doubts and how he had finally convinced him to start with the therapy sessions he needed.   </p><p>And he was there, with nails torturing his own fingers as he finally clicked over the green button with the phone on it, letting the display show the loading page for the call. </p><p>Choi Jongho, it was the name of the guy that Hongjoong would be referencing as his therapist from that day on. Seonghwa let him borrow his phone – with the promise to buy a personal one after it – to have a first call with Jongho and to fix his appointment; luckily, he was one of Seonghwa’s friend cousin and he had condoned to his need of doing online sessions, since he couldn’t be there physically.  He seemed a nice guy, his calm tone guided Hongjoong during their first call to fix the appointment and he felt comfortable after the first minute; but he didn’t know how he looked like and that thing kind of unsettled him. </p><p>Seonghwa was out to do grocery shopping – he said, but Hongjoong knew he was out to let him alone with Jongho and have some privacy more than that – and he wouldn’t be home before an hour, exactly the time Hongjoong would have needed to start and end that first session. </p><p>When the therapist picked up, Hongjoong was twisting the butterfly shaped pendant of his necklace between his hands and he almost threw it away when he saw that the call finally started. However, taking off his necklace was off limits, since it would have meant revealing his true appearance and throw away his façade as the cute florist of the town. </p><p>“Hello Mr. Kim. I’m Choi Jongho, your therapist, nice to finally see you.” </p><p>Jongho looked very professional at first glance: he was wearing a simple white shirt, a pair of round glasses sat on his button nose, two round black eyes looked at him behind the lenses and his black hair were combed to perfectly frame his face. He looked a bit older than him – than his appearance, at least – but Hongjoong couldn't really tell, since he smiled and suddenly looked younger. </p><p>The therapy session went smooth. Nothing much was really said, they just both had a general talk about his situation, how he felt towards it and what he wanted to gain during his path, but Hongjoong felt some kind of weight being lifted from his back when he closed the call, the display of the laptop illuminating his face and the steamy mug on his side now empty. He had to exclude all the magic things related to the event, but it felt nice to have the certainty that he would have finally overcome the bitter sensations that accident brought with it. </p><p>He took a deep breath, closed the laptop and lifted from the chair, moving with the mug to the kitchen counter, where he placed it in the sink to wash. Searching for the dish soap and a sponge, he let his mind travel to search an answer to when had he become so domestic with Seonghwa: washing the dishes, sometimes doing his bed – when he stayed for the night –, going grocery shopping for him and the other guys – they still loved junk food, even if they were eerie creatures from the forest – and ending up buying something Seonghwa loved to eat; he wondered when all of that happened, but it just did. </p><p>Hongjoong placed the mug on the dish rack and the door behind him unlocked, Seonghwa holding four plastic bags and a paper bag with bread in it peeked from the entrance. </p><p>“Can I ask for a hand here?” </p><p>Seonghwa smiled, his leg gently kicked the door open and Hongjoong idly reached for him, picking up only the bag with the bread in it and taking out one bun, in which he bit. </p><p>“Oh please, not in the living room...you’ll make the floor full of breadcrumbs.” </p><p>Hongjoong shrugged, his smile impish before taking two plastic bags from Seonghwa that could finally close the door and follow him to the kitchen. He found Hongjoong with the bun held between his teeth as he placed the bags on the table. </p><p>“How did your first therapy session go?” </p><p>He asked whilst taking out the grocery from the bags, his eyes quickly scanned Hongjoong’s face as he carelessly put a pack of biscuits on the shelf: chocolate dipped ones, his favourites. </p><p>Hongjoong took another bite of bread leaning on the kitchen counter, the creature peered over Seonghwa’s shoulder when he faced him backside to put some more things on the shelves. </p><p>“Fine, we didn’t talk of many things actually. Have you found those ginger gummies you like so much?” </p><p>There was tease in his voice as he spoke and Seonghwa sighed at it, remembering how he trashed an entire pack of ginger flavoured gummies because he bought it thinking they were good and actually regretted everything when tried one; and Hongjoong had the chance to be there when Seonghwa coughed and searched for a glass of water after tasting it, making fun of him about that event every time he went grocery shopping had become one of his favourite activities. </p><p>As if he didn’t tease Seonghwa about everything every time he could, though. </p><p>“Do you have to bring it every time?” </p><p>“You already know the answer.” </p><p>Hongjoong said, his voice childish and his face painted with a wide closed-mouth smile when Seonghwa turned to face him: he looked like a squirrel with his acorn, but with bread in his hand instead. </p><p>Seonghwa rolled his eyes and put the last item back in the pantry and was, by then, two steps away from Hongjoong, who had finished to eat the stolen bun and was just leaning on the counter with all his body, supporting his weight with both in hands hunched on the hems of it. Looking back to him, he found his two brown eyes looking at him, one corner of his mouth lifted in a way too familiar smile for the novelist. </p><p>“Aren’t you gonna reward me because I’ve been a good boy and went through my first therapy session without backing up?” </p><p>Cocky, Hongjoong tilted his head and pouted to Seonghwa, fluttering his lashes until the other boy let out a laugh and gradually enclosed to him, making those two steps that were in-between their bodies become zero.  </p><p>“I will reward you only if you promise me something.” </p><p>“What is it?” </p><p>Seonghwa was standing between Hongjoong’s legs by then, his hands gently went to hug the other boy’s waist, his fingers tapped on it making a rush of thrill run all over the boy’s back. He smiled, his perfect teeth peeked between those two plump lips Hongjoong really liked to kiss. </p><p>“Some friends of mine are going to come here in less than a week and I may have accidentally mentioned about your existence in my life now...so the thing is...” he paused just to see Hongjoong’s eyes narrowing “...I’ll need you to meet them for a straight week with me or they’re going to be very noisy about finding me a partner of any kind, please.” </p><p>“So...I have to be your boyfriend for one week, uh?” </p><p>“That’s- that sounds very bold and strange and very fake but...yes, basically.” </p><p>Hongjoong scoffed and put his hands over Seonghwa’s shoulder, patting him two times before looking directly into his eyes with one of his usual dark gazes. </p><p>“Only if I get boyfriend benefits for the whole week.” </p><p>“Wh- what?” </p><p>“I’ll be your fake boyfriend for a week only if you treat me as if I <em> really </em> am your boyfriend and not simply a friend with benefits. Gifts, resting in your cosy bed for the week, hot homemade meals and some extra cuddles and I’m in.” </p><p>Seonghwa was left astonished, Hongjoong was smiling proud of his offer and with his hands tapping rhythmical over the latter’s shoulders. </p><p>“Take or leave, pretty boy.” </p><p>Well, that was a thing. He and Hongjoong had for sure become closer and cosier with each other, but they still acted like they were friends with a little spice added to their relationship. Treating him as his boyfriend? He could do it, that wasn’t such a big deal, but the demand itself seemed strange at first. </p><p>“Ok, I can do it. It’s a deal.” </p><p>Seonghwa answered, one of his hands lifted from Hongjoong’s waist and outstretched for a handshake, which came right after. </p><p>“Deal.” </p><p>Both of them smiled, their hands went back to the initial place and Hongjoong travelled with his to Seonghwa’s face, cupping his cheeks and bringing him close to his. </p><p>“Where’s my reward now, pretty boy?” </p><p>“Here it comes, but first” the novelist’s hands went to lift Hongjoong’s legs, making him sit on the counter before going to gently take off his enchanted necklace, action that finally revealed his true appearance “I like you better without magic covering those pointy fangs of yours.” </p><p>Hongjoong cooed, tilting his head a little to reduce distances between them. </p><p>“Has my Seonghwa’s boyfriend free trial already started?” </p><p>“Who could say, should we find out?”  </p><p>Their lips kissed, Hongjoong sunk his fangs into Seonghwa’s lower lip. </p><p> </p><p>─────────────── </p><p> </p><p>Seonghwa’s house had never been noisy from the day he moved to that town by the woods; yet, it just needed two guys and ten minutes to have all the rooms filled with screams and laughter, along with two luggage in the living room, that had been arranged – with the help of the sofa-bed in it – in a cosy room for San and Wooyoung. </p><p>Hongjoong wasn’t there when the two boys arrived, their obnoxious presence being announced by the repetitive honks of Wooyoung’s car parking on his alley. They found their way to his house easily – thanks to technology and good old Google Maps – and Seonghwa was, despite the realization of how chaotic his next week was looking, happy to meet them again; hence, he kept both of them in a big hug for some seconds before letting them in, eyeing the eccentric pink luggage San held along with Wooyoung’s big black duffel bag. </p><p>“That’s unfair” started Wooyoung after wiping his lips after a big sip of lemonade – home made one with lavender in it, kindly offered by Hongjoong – “this house here is even prettier than the one you have in the city, haven’t you considered about staying here for like, forever?” </p><p>Seonghwa smiled back to him, pouring lemonade in a glass with ice cubes and passing it to San, who almost drunk half of it in a row. </p><p>“Not really, I kind of miss the life in the city. But here is good too.” </p><p>“You might be kidding me” broke in San, slamming – but not with much strength – the glass on the table, receiving an accusatory glance from Seonghwa “what do you miss about the city? Here is quiet, clean air, nice view, lots of green, people are friendlier- we stopped by a bakery before coming here to grab some croissants and the lady at the counter gave us two free cookies! TWO FREE COKIES! That would never happen in the city, duh.” </p><p>He couldn’t blame him, country side was way nicer and calmer than urban life. Yet, Seonghwa kept missing a little all the chaos and the life those big cities where he grew up held. In fact, the thought of doing a trip to his hometown to visit his parents and stay, at least, one weekend had occurred to him quite lots lately. </p><p>“You’re talking like I said I hate living here, San.” </p><p>“Who doesn’t like living here?” </p><p>A familiar voice – to Seonghwa, at least – draw the attention of the three friends from the kitchen, who all eyed the entrance of that room just to find a platinum blond head peeking to them. Seonghwa, however, felt his breath stop at witnessing how Hongjoong had presented to them: except for an oversized black shirt he used to give to him when he stopped there for the night – with a cute cat on it, the print slightly torn due the washes – he wasn’t really wearing anything else; the novelist didn’t know if he had underwear on too, the hems of the garment too long to make him figure it out. </p><p>Hongjoong smiled at them, glancing slightly malicious at Seonghwa, who was looking at him with disbelief in his eyes. </p><p>“You could have woken me up, Hwa” he said, idly enclosing with the latter who was still silent from when he made his appearance “I knew we had guests, at least I would have had made myself presentable.” </p><p>Seonghwa glanced at the hems of the shirt brushing over Hongjoong’s toned thighs as he walked, the see but not see game of it driving him already crazy. And it was only ten in the morning. </p><p>He would have loved to have Hongjoong welcoming San and Wooyoung with him, he really did, but how could you wake up someone who isn’t in your place from the start? It was the exact moment Seonghwa remembered Hongjoong was a magical being and realised how that show of his suggested what had he brought to himself. </p><p>Tiptoeing, Hongjoong brought his face near Seonghwa’s one and placed a delicate kiss on his cheek. He encircled his waist with his arms, craving a hug, and Seonghwa let him while his brain tried to form coherent thoughts about the situation. </p><p>They were standing in the kitchen, his fake boyfriend hugging him in a suggestive attire, a glass of lemonade in a hand and a carafe in the other. San and Wooyoung exchanged a confused yet thrilled look, Seonghwa moved his eyes to Hongjoong’s face, witnessing his sharper ones peer at him as he snuggled closer, whispering. </p><p>“<em>Won’t you give your boyfriend his </em><em>good morning</em> <em>kiss</em><em>?</em>” </p><p>Seonghwa gently put the items in his hands down, drawing his now free right one to hug Hongjoong’s body closer to his own. He placed a small peck over Hongjoong’s forehead, the latter smiled sly in response. </p><p>“Good morning, sorry if I didn’t wake you up before.” </p><p>“Eh, it’s fine. Would you mind making me breakfast to atone?” </p><p>The novelist wanted to laugh at himself, Hongjoong even faked his raspy I-just-woke-up voice in that theatre of them; and it was even pretty convincing, San and Wooyoung  kept staring at them with their lips curled up. </p><p>“Sure, how about changing while I do it?” </p><p>“Mmmkay” Hongjoong answered in a cute voice but a whisper came right after “<em> how about you help me changing, pretty boy? I saw how you were looking at me. </em>” </p><p>Seonghwa’s face lit red, he placed another peck to his forehead and whispered. </p><p>“<em> You’re going to tease me like this for the whole week, right?” </em> </p><p><em> “You brought that to yourself.” </em> </p><p>He brought that to himself. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi everyone! Thanks for waiting for this chapter and still being here with me!<br/>As you can imagine, this story is coming to and end. In fact, the next chapter is going to be the last one!</p><p>See you the next time and let me know everything you think about the story until now if you want to!<br/>Bye bye!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Sweet Azalea Honey</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Smut in the first part</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>Birds chirped, warm rays of sun lighted up the room and two squeaking voices fully awakened Seonghwa who was, by the time, comfortably laying in twilight sleep and wrapped in blankets with a smaller body pressed to his; a body whom, as soon as the two happy voices came closer to their room, just groaned and buried himself in Seonghwa’s embrace furthermore.  </p><p>“Do they have to be so noisy every morning? We’re on day four and they’re still like that.” </p><p>Four days had passed since Wooyoung and San arrived and four days had passed since the both of them had been too noisy, too annoying and too invading for Hongjoong’s liking. </p><p>And four days had passed since Hongjoong acted like Seonghwa’s boyfriend.  </p><p>As strange – and hard to bear, for Seonghwa at least – as it could seem in the first place, the experience itself revealed to be pretty funny to them. Seonghwa started to like the domestic atmosphere, Hongjoong seemed to go with the flow and just enjoyed all the attentions the latter gave to him.  </p><p>Morning kisses, hot meals, cuddles, funny bickering: all those things were almost new to Hongjoong; he had been living a domestic life with Mingi and Yeosang until then, of course, but they had never acted like Seonghwa used to treat him in that specific time. And, needless to say, it felt nice to have Seonghwa acting so intimate to him; Hongjoong could get used to it but he had to remind himself that was all just a play. He never doubted Seonghwa’s affection, of course, but that was just a big roleplay. </p><p>However, he mentally marked in his agenda the possibility of asking more boyfriends roleplay to Seonghwa if that meant all those fuzzy sensations his stomach felt every time he butterfly-kissed his forehead when doing the dishes after breakfast, lunch or dinner. </p><p>Hongjoong still didn’t lose the chance to tease Seonghwa whenever he could, though.  </p><p>Be it just showing up in a tee in the morning when they all just woke up – like he did the first day –, be it playing with him under the table when they were having a meal – and leaving him unsatisfied, because he could –, be it just carelessly having him under his “magic touch” the same first night Seonghwa’s friends were there – by even recommending him to restrain from doing any strange noise or his two poor tired friends would wake up after their long long trip to the town and they didn’t want to wake them up, right? –, Hongjoong really had fun on its own and always remembered how he liked Seonghwa’s pained smile when he had to cover his arousal in front of San and Wooyoung. </p><p>Yeosang and Mingi had opposed to him doing this one-week experience as his boyfriend – more Yeosang than Mingi, since that meant he would be the only one caring about the shop while he was away – but he managed to obtain a “yes” from both of them by promising he’d bring some of Seonghwa’s special shortcake after said week. </p><p>Still pressing towards Seonghwa’s body – the latter was stroking his back with his long fingers and that was definitely enough for Hongjoong to lean closer like a kitten getting pets –, Hongjoong inhaled and exhaled loudly remembering one of his friend’s words. </p><p><em> You’re falling for him. </em> </p><p>Mayhaps, it could be. However, Hongjoong decided to bottle up thoughts about it until something clicked hard enough to wake him up from the illusion of wanting to be just his<em> fake </em>boyfriend only. </p><p>A well-known butterfly kiss came between Hongjoong’s messy platinum blond locks and the creature lifted his two eyes, meeting the novelist smiling at him, his face still swollen from the sleep and his smile soft. </p><p>“Morning.” </p><p>Hongjoong puffed, pouting right after. </p><p>“Morning. Can we still wait a little before officially wake up?” </p><p>Despite being the only two in the room, Hongjoong kept his butterfly-shaped necklace on – including the times in which they were in the cradle of sleep – to prevent any sneaky attack from the two boys screaming outside their door.  </p><p>Seonghwa's finger went to play with the pendant, Hongjoong let him. </p><p>“If Wooyoung and San don’t slam the door open out of nowhere, sure. We don’t have any special plans today, anyway.” </p><p>The flower shop, the big old library of the town, some more nice rustic shops and few of the good restaurants were the places they visited in those days. The town was small, in the end, and there was nothing much to visit more; hence, they established that day as a day of leisure in the leisure. They would probably end up watching a movie over Wooyoung’s laptop by the night.  </p><p>Hongjoong made an approval noise and dug his face back to Seonghwa’s chest, shifting, after some seconds, his whole body to fully lay on top of him.  </p><p>He was a man, Seonghwa was a man, the discover he made by doing so wasn’t anything new to both of them. </p><p>Seonghwa gulped when two sharp eyes and a fox smile displayed at some centimetres from his face. </p><p>“<em> Ooooh </em> <em> . </em>..someone’s happy to have me sleeping with them this morning.” </p><p>“It’s just...a natural biological reaction, not what you think.” </p><p>“But I bet someone here won’t be displeased if I got rid of this <em> natural biological reaction </em>.” </p><p>And before Seonghwa could even answer – his expression between the “no” and the “yes” –  Hongjoong rolled his hips a little bit, making the latter bite his lips. </p><p>“<em> Well, </em> ” the novelist clicked his tongue <em> “ </em>I never said I wouldn’t like it.” </p><p>Hongjoong smiled, one corner of his lips going upper than the other. </p><p>“Enterprising today, uh?” </p><p>The other rolled his eyes, smiling, and Hongjoong didn’t wait anything more before another brush of hips was lavishly served to the other, making Seonghwa bit his lower lip. One of the novelist’s hands went to caress Hongjoong’s face, bringing him closer for a wet kiss while his other one firmly grabbed his ass, making him quiver. Hongjoong wasn’t, by the time, so stoic to Seonghwa’s touch as he had been in the past. </p><p>Enjoying the kiss, Hongjoong let his hips brush again to the other, the friction made between their bodies and the clothes enough to heat up the room. </p><p>Suddenly, Seonghwa pulled away. </p><p>“Wait, let me lock the doo-” </p><p>“There’s no need to, I’ve already blocked it with magic.” </p><p>The latter interrupted, dipping down for another kiss and caressing Seonghwa’s whole body with his own in a new needy request of touch. Magic, the same thing Seonghwa was so sceptical about was now the only thing keeping them safe from a dangerous reveal on behalf of San and Wooyoung. </p><p>Seonghwa hunched with his fingers to the rim of Hongjoong’s boxers and the boy let him take them off; hence, Hongjoong – not so – gently untied the strands of those ridiculous pyjama pants with kittens all over them and pushed them down, along with Seonghwa’s underwear. Cold air hit both their already angry cocks, Hongjoong brushed again his hips and made them rub together, making Seonghwa yip.  </p><p>Having to deal with a morning wood had never been so funny for Seonghwa. </p><p>“<em> Shhhh </em>, you don’t want to be interrupted by San and Wooyoung. Be quiet, pretty boy.” </p><p>Kissing again, they made sounds that could get their entry to paradise revoked – good for them that God probably wasn’t watching as he would be too invested into understanding what Wooyoung and San were bickering about in the kitchen – and Seonghwa’s hands started to run all over Hongjoong’s body, pinching to one of his nipples over the matching tee with the discarded pyjama pants on the side of the bed. Hongjoong moaned in the middle of the kiss, Seonghwa’s cock hardened more by it, twitching. </p><p>“You need this little to be so hard, that still amazes me.” </p><p>Hongjoong commented, Seonghwa’s face lit red and, yet, he wasn’t able to rebuke since Hongjoong left his expression between the “yes” and the “no” – <em> again </em> , Hongjoong filled Seonghwa’s life with <em> agains </em> – wrapping both their dicks together with his hand, giving them a first asserted pump which caused both of them to pant. Seonghwa made another yip. </p><p>“Shhh, pretty boy. If you have to moan just kiss me.” </p><p>Permission granted, Seonghwa bit Hongjoong’s lip and sucked at them when he started giving off some more paced strokes. It was a mess: both of them still half sleepy, their faces and lips swollen both by sleep and kisses, their bodies already aching to be touched and the upcoming rush of pleasure building up thanks to Hongjoong’s skilled hands. And it was only ten in the morning. </p><p>Seonghwa sucked at Hongjoong’s lips, the latter bit back and whispered. </p><p>“I'm close, Hwa.” </p><p>And he was right, because his movements got a little imprecise and the pace was lost; and he also called Seonghwa by his name only when he was near coming. So, Seonghwa decided to help and gently pushed Hongjoong’s smaller hand away to finish what he started. </p><p>They didn’t need much more and both of them came on each other's still clothed stomachs – Seonghwa first, the latter followed –, Hongjoong dropped his whole body on him and placed a little kiss under Seonghwa’s ear before snuggling closer. </p><p>“Now, <em> that’s </em> a good morning.” </p><p>The novelist said, Hongjoong laughed in response and let his breath catch up as he waited for the final little shocks of pleasure to drain.  </p><p>A creak was heard by both of them, along with San’s laughter and Wooyoung’s voice. </p><p>“It’s true Sanie, that dream was absolute chaos.” </p><p>Panicked, Seonghwa darted his eyes to the door, then moved them to both of their figures and realised in time that the blankets were up enough to cover their naked lower regions. He could feel Hongjoong smiling mockingly with his face pressed to his neck. </p><p>“Good morning loving birds, care to wake up and have breakfast with us?” </p><p>“In a minute.” </p><p>Simply answered Seonghwa, who tried to hide his uneven breath by taking big inhales through his nostrils; Wooyoung lifted his thumb and San waved his hand before closing the door, leaving the “loving birds” alone again. </p><p>Hongjoong playfully bit Seonghwa’s neck, the latter just moved his eyes back to him finding that sly gaze of his anticipating what his mouth worded. </p><p>“<em> Ops </em>, we left the door open.” </p><p> </p><p>─────────────── </p><p> </p><p>Time passes faster when you have fun, it’s said. And, indeed, it does. </p><p>The following days flowed peaceful for the quartet, Wooyoung and San enjoyed their stay in that little town of them and Hongjoong enjoyed – apart from their boisterous behaviour – finally meeting someone other than Seonghwa among humans that he found nice to spend time with. Everything started as an excuse to torture Seonghwa through the week, yet Hongjoong found himself more invested in having some quality time rather than making the latter feel in distress because he acted sly or stuffs. </p><p>Well, Hongjoong kept acting like the dark creature he was, of course, but the times he had been unbearable and Seonghwa had succumbed – like the “trained puppy” Hongjoong claimed him to be in the start – were slowly becoming less and less.  </p><p>For their last day, Hongjoong decided to show them – after Seonghwa prayed him for the whole previous night, making it be the first time Hongjoong accommodated one of his requests without anything in exchange – a special place. It needed the boys a car, half an hour of driving and fifteen minutes of walking among lost fields in the countryside with loud crickets to reach one of Hongjoong’s secret places. </p><p>Tons and tons of lilac, purple, yellow and pink flowers decorated a big field. One single three, a big willow, stood majestic in the middle of it, the long strands of leaves of it brushed with the flowers at the sway of wind, dancing together in a slow-paced rhythm. </p><p>Wooyoung – who had been snapping photographs since day one with his old Nikon – let out an amazed sound and firmly placed a pat over Hongjoong’s shoulder, who just glanced at him startled by the sudden action. </p><p>“This place is amazing! It almost feels like a fairy tale setting!” </p><p>“I won’t be surprised if some strange colourful creature jumped out of nowhere” added San, his smile so big his two dimples made an appearance, his two eyes became tiny cracks. </p><p>Hongjoong cackled. If they only knew he could make said creatures make an appearance if he only wanted to. Luckily, the little bell-flowers pixies slept in the morning, so there was no danger by crossing the fields. </p><p>“Take off your shoes.” </p><p>The other three boys looked confused to Hongjoong, who was already untying his brown leather shoes. Seonghwa found him adorable that day: a fluffy white sweater combined with a pair of black pants wrapped his figure perfectly, his hair softly parted to his sides and many accessories – such as rings, various earrings of many shapes and another necklace, added to the butterfly one – dangled all over. He almost looked like a normal guy, no evil creature, no dark past; just a normal boy in his twenties having fun with a group of friends.  </p><p>However, Seonghwa wondered how was he so stylish even if he just lived in the woods and really didn’t need to look that good when coming out; but then, he remembered the latter had mentioned how fashion was one of the few things he liked from the human world. </p><p>Hongjoong lifted his eyes from his now bare feet, finding the three boys looking at him puzzled. </p><p>“What? You’ve never run among flowers barefoot?” </p><p>Wooyoung and San exchanged a look, Seonghwa briefly shook his head and crouched to untie his sneakers. </p><p>“We actually never did” said San at some point before tossing away his shoes “but it’s never too late to try.” </p><p>The last of them giggled when his feet touched the fresh strands of grass under them, Seonghwa cringed a bit at the feeling of dirt under his soles but San was already among the flowers inviting the others and waving his hands without giving Hongjoong the chance to talk again. </p><p>Wooyoung parted from them, reaching San and shooting some pics of the both of them among flowers, flowers alone and the willow; the other two looked at them from distance and smiled. </p><p>“This place is beautiful, thank you for sharing it with us.” </p><p>Seonghwa started, his voice soft along with his expression. Their eyes were both focussed over the land, avoiding each other. </p><p>Hongjoong felt a warm sensation in his chest, his smile grew bigger and shy. </p><p>“That’s nothing, I know tons of places like this one” answered the latter, his fingers grabbed the soft hems of the sweater “me and Mingi planted that willow after Yunho passed away. He’s been the one taking care of trees in the forest.” </p><p>Seonghwa led his eyes to Hongjoong at that, worried, but he found a gloomy smile and two dreamy eyes still looking at the big willow in the distance. </p><p>He stayed silent. </p><p>“We thought it was a nice way to honour him. That willow is still young and strong, like Yunho was, and I hope it will live his short life strong and healthy, like he did.” </p><p>He still avoided Seonghwa’s eyes, watching San and Wooyoung who were picking up some flowers and making little bouquets for no reason. Hongjoong hoped no bell-flower pixie would be picked up in the process. </p><p>“That makes this place even more special and precious. I’ll treasure this.” </p><p>Seonghwa’s voice was warm and calm and finally, Hongjoong glanced to him, finding those two pure eyes that led him to be so close to that human. Those two eyes that communicated every single emotion the latter was feeling, those two eyes too sincere to even hide arousal or fear, those two eyes that shined so bright they almost looked like pools of stars. Those two eyes which Hongjoong started dreaming about after they reunited, along with his grey died hair with those ugly black roots, along with his caramel skin and his slender pretty fingers. Those everything that made him Seonghwa. </p><p>Once again, Yeosang was right. No “probably”, no “perhaps”. He was right.  </p><p>Hongjoong was falling but was it the same for Seonghwa? </p><p>“Thank you” mouthed the creature, no sound coming out from his lips, only a sincere smile following it before he could turn again to the field, breathing in and out loudly. </p><p>Silent, Seonghwa drew is hand to Hongjoong’s hunched one over his sweater, caressing his skin and letting his pinkie grab the latter's. Holding hands like two innocent children, they both laughed and looked at each other again. </p><p>“Shall we reach the other two before they get themselves in trouble? Don’t lie to me, this place has colourful magical creatures hidden among the flowers.” </p><p>“You think so? How bold of you to assume I could put your friends in danger, rude” being dramatic, Hongjoong rose his free hand and placed it on his chest, followed by a little<em> gasp </em>that made Seonghwa look at him, given up “ok, yes. There are some pixies sleeping in the bell-flowers, we should reach them before something happens. You know, pixies could be very obnoxious!” </p><p>By saying so, Hongjoong laughed once more and fully grabbed Seonghwa’s hand before starting to run among the flowers.  </p><p>The scent was sweet, Seonghwa liked it. </p><p> </p><p>─────────────── </p><p> </p><p>When Wooyoung and San left the house, it was early in the morning. The journey would be long, they said, so parting in the morning felt the best choice but Seonghwa knew they left so early to be able to grab some fresh from the hoven croissants from the bakery they so much praised when they had come. </p><p>Being it early, both him and Hongjoong didn’t care much about wearing something different from their “pyjama”, which was one of Seonghwa’s splitted among them: Hongjoong took the shirt – a silk-like blue shirt, soft to the touch and a little bit oversized for Seonghwa himself too –, Seonghwa kept the pants and replaced the upper part with a simple white undershirt. By doing so, Hongjoong looked extremely tiny and soft when he woke up – sleep still keeping his eyes half-closed and his cheeks puffy – and Seonghwa wanted to squish him in his arms. </p><p>During the week, they both grew more affectionate than before. The kisses, the hugs, the caresses weren’t there just for a show for Wooyoung and San to watch; no, they were fond, they were sweet, they were kind and loving. That façade they put on started to feel too real to not be noticed. </p><p>Seonghwa closed the door after seeing his two friend’s car disappear at the end of the road looking like a little spot in the big picture, then he proceeded to draw himself – yawning and scratching his neck – back to the bedroom where Hongjoong was already waiting him. </p><p>Well, he <em> kind of </em> was waiting him. </p><p>Stepping in, the novelist’s heart made a little leap as witnessing the way Hongjoong was laying in the bed, sleeping peaceful.  </p><p>His knees were drawn to his chest, one of his fists grabbing a piece of the blankets and his lips cutely parted by the gentle puffs he did while sleeping. The shirt messily covered his upper body, making the black underwear peep on his hip, contrasting with the light colour of his skin which looked smooth and soft to touch. In his embrace, Seonghwa’s pillow was held and Seonghwa had been left, by that, without any place to rest his head on comfortably to sleep some more time. </p><p>Not that he wanted to sleep anymore after he had seen how adorable could Hongjoong look when he wasn’t wearing his dark creature of the forest vest. </p><p>Daintily, the novelist sat in front of him, looking at the way his lashes curved and fluttered with the tiny movements he did in his sleep. He was handsome, he really was, Seonghwa never doubted it; but he was even more handsome now that he had the chance to know him, now that he knew he was right at thinking he wasn’t such a monster people described him to be and he himself claimed as his own persona. </p><p>He preferred more that cosy Hongjoong to the beasty one but still liked both of them, somehow. </p><p>Drawing his fingers with care, Seonghwa moved Hongjoong’s messy fringe away from his face, caressing his cheek lovingly as he enclosed to kiss his forehead with fondness. </p><p>“Joongie...can you give me back my pillow?” </p><p>He said, cutely. Hongjoong moved a bit, letting out a whine as he wrapped his arms around the pillow more. </p><p>“’m sleepy...just sleep somewhere else...” </p><p>Seonghwa gave him another fond kiss, Hongjoong snuggled closer like a cat. </p><p>“But I want to sleep in my bed, with my pillow and my <em> boyfriend </em>.” </p><p>Hongjoong almost darted his eyes open at that.<em> His boyfriend </em>. </p><p>“Wooyoung and San are gone, we could stop with that thing now” he rebuked, his voice mixed with sleep. </p><p>“I know, I know. But you liked to be my boyfriend, didn’t you?” </p><p>The latter’s cheek grew red and, as an attempt of making Seonghwa stop from embarrassing him, he opened his arms and invited him on the pillow. </p><p>“Fine, come here.” </p><p>Seonghwa obeyed, letting his head drop on the soft pillow and his arm encircle Hongjoong’s body: by the way Hongjoong was holding that thing, Seonghwa was now laying with his face near his chest; so, he snuggled closed, brushing his nose over his clothed torso. </p><p>“That tickles.” </p><p>Answered Hongjoong, who chuckled with raspy voice and hid his face in Seonghwa’s hair, bringing him closer. His heartbeat was slowly racing, Seonghwa smelled like vanilla and honey since his old bodywash run out and had been replaced with another one; Hongjoong liked that scent more, he thought it fitted the latter better: sweet but mysterious. </p><p>“Hey Seonghwa...” </p><p>Started Hongjoong, his eyes slightly open, one of his hands going to pet the other’s hair as he talked. </p><p>“Yes?” </p><p>“Have you ever been in love? Like, in a romantic way.” </p><p>Seonghwa shifted his head up, Hongjoong’s face was now some centimetres away from him and he looked extremely delectable with those pouted lips and long lashes.  </p><p>After some seconds, he nodded. </p><p>“Once...or twice maybe, but yes, I did.” </p><p>“What does love feel like?” </p><p>The novelist pressed his own lips together as a concentrating habit he developed through time; he did that so much that Hongjoong too knew he was thinking when he did. </p><p>“Uhm...how does love feel like...it’s different from person to person. For me, it is like a feeling of rebirth” he explained, his hand stroked Hongjoong’s naked thigh with care “like you’ve finally found some new parts of you, some new ways of behaving and feeling emotions like you never did before. Is like the sensation of winning a price after a long marathon, like the smell of hot bread in the morning” he drew his hand to Hongjoong’s stomach, who stayed silent and was totally captured by Seonghwa’s way of describing everything “it’s feeling your stomach and chest flutter when your loved one says something funny, when they smile, when they speak” his hand trailed more, reaching Hongjoong’s neck “when they caress you, when they look at you like you’re their treasure, when they...” he went silent, Hongjoong’s eyes were wide and shining, his lips parted in amaze. </p><p>And Seonghwa couldn't stop himself, couldn’t think more, couldn’t see anything that wasn’t Hongjoong in that moment. Couldn’t stop himself from falling. </p><p>“When they?” </p><p>Hongjoong urged, his hand was clinging over Seonghwa’s shoulder and the latter didn’t even notice. </p><p>“When they kiss you.” </p><p>They lost themselves in the moment, the silence was unbearable and their heartbeat racing like cars on a ride. Hongjoong leaned closer, Seonghwa huffed. </p><p>“When they kiss you...” </p><p>Whispered the creature before slowly connecting their lips, making them chest sing with emotions and flutter with happiness. </p><p>Hongjoong knew, Seonghwa knew. That kiss was the sweetest they ever did, their lips just morbidly pressing on each other without anything more. </p><p>They pulled away, their gaze magnetic as their hands both caressed the region in which they were. Hongjoong’s small one stroking Seonghwa’s hand, Seonghwa’s longer finger lingering over the latter’s face. The touches were delicate, like a young girl picking up flowers. </p><p>At some point, Hongjoong cackled and Seonghwa smiled in return. </p><p>“You know, I could get used to be your boyfriend. It was fun.” </p><p>Started the creature, his hand stopped patting Seonghwa’s hair and stilled on his head. </p><p>“I mean, who am I to stop you.” </p><p>Hongjoong eyes darted open surprised, his cheeks flushed red. </p><p>“Wh-what?!” </p><p>“What? I think it’s pretty obvious by now, Joong. I think I love you.” </p><p>Unpredictable, sweet, mysterious, full of surprises. That’s how Hongjoong would describe Seonghwa but that’s also how Seonghwa would describe Hongjoong. </p><p>Sweet and mysterious, like that damned azalea honey that started everything. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>We're finally at the eeeeeend!<br/>This chapter is basically full of fluff, I know, I know. You probably weren't expecting this since the whole atmosphere of the fic bUT I felt like making this end happily and fluffy differently from what I planned at the start ahahah<br/>I know, I'm a weak bitch that can't do angsty things until the end. I need my boys to live a happy ever after because I'm a weak one for happy endings in long suffered things :^</p><p>Thanks to everyone who stayed until now! And thanks to everyone who will stay for my future things. Here lemme give you a smooch.</p><p>See you next time!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>